


Sinister

by Baranotoge



Category: Katarina/Ashe
Genre: F/F, Katarina (League of Legends)/Other(s), League of Legends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:42:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 62,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2186973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baranotoge/pseuds/Baranotoge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unusual friendship grows between the Frost Archer of Freljord and the Sinister Blade of Noxus revealing dark secrets that should best remain hidden. What will become of the assassin? (KatxAshe) </p><p> -The main song for this story is: Morgan Page - Fight For You and The Hunger Games Original Soundtrack #13. Rue's Farewell -</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On the Frontlines

The festival came once more, as it did every year, and was filled to the brim with all of Valoran. There were many scenes to take in from the music playing in the distance, to the children laughing and running around insanely, even to the certain champions that came by. A pair of emerald eyes squinted down to be sure she was looking right. Out of all people there were members of the Shadow Isles, people associated with death along with Noxus but more animalistic and barbaric. At least Noxians had order unlike those scums.

 

The Sinister Blade let out a breath and adjusted her laid back position on the high beam of a shop below. She remained hidden in the shadow of the night avoiding any exposure or recognition. The laughter of the people below her caused her brows to furrow slightly upon hearing them. With a leg laid straight and the other bent up, she rested her wrist on her knee and three knives between each finger. She lifted her hand up to reveal these knifes closer to her so she could get a good look at the glinting steel. They were worn out she thought, inspecting the weapons. Silvery black with an 'S' engraved on the blade. She toyed with them like a child, juggling them in her hands and twirling them, idly cautious of their sharpened edges.

 

Katarina's eyes lost their focus on the knives and turned to something more...interesting. She turned her head slightly and eyed the face that was hidden among silvery snow hair and the infamous cowl. The name of the Freljordian queen slipped from her lips and made her lean slightly forward. She appeared from the crowd along with her husband, Tryndamere. He erupted in maniacal laughter and had a drink in his hand (presumably from Gragas who was last seem in the pub across from where Katarina stayed) and his other hand on the queen's shoulder.

 

Earlier that day...

 

The fog of war cleared up around her perimeter as she set down a ward into the grass and adjusted her position so her legs wont fall asleep. She looked around vigilantly and held her blades firm. Sweat streamed from her face and she wiped it with a finger before crouching low again into the thick of the brush. She heard distant battle cries in front of her and heard the dim roar of "DEMACIA". The announcer proudly displayed the face of Garen, who was now running back under the protection of the blue turret to defend his recalling ally Caitlyn as the opposing team had become known throughout this battle to make quick and sneaky attacks. The torn face of the dragon girl, Shyvana, lay bloody and dead in a pool not to far from her in a position that indicated she was hit on her side by the massive sword Garen now heaved on his shoulder.

 

"An ally has been slain." the voice spoke, with a faint echo and loss for the team she was called to announce for.

 

The Might of Demacia returned to his past position and quickly dispatched a minion wave by swinging his sword in a circular motion. The Sinister Blade squinted at her target. He wasn't affected by dizziness as he fought again and made his way to her team's turret. She corrected herself in an eye roll because her skills do the same thing and even threw in a small chuckle at her herself. A blue ping suddenly appeared beside her outside the brush and a fleeing champion heading up towards the top lane came into view straddling across the river, feet dragging and creating ruckus in the still water, book tight under his arm. He was injured badly in the shoulder and the leg and she noticed a limp while he tried to run through the shallow water. Blood protruded from his injury and he used his free hand to try and cover the wound and he clumsily regained his pace.

 

The Noxian's adrenaline rushed and a Cheshire grin evilly shown upon her face as she quietly set her feet into play and her blades ready. Ears and eyes sharpened to their fullest extent, Katarina quickly calculated and ignored her victim's cries for help to Garen. A second passed and her body was ready to pounce but her instinct told her otherwise. Another second and the champion by the name of Ryze halted and looked towards the misty white sky and blue light revealed itself in a vertical beam above his weary head. His face smiled as the light became more eminent and begun to circle around him. Katarina held her hand out and threw what it appeared to be a fireball and spiraled around in a circle of flame. The blue light suddenly gone and a puff of black smoke and a knife to the dent of his neck, he had no time to react as the knife glided easy against his blue skin. Katarina threw the lifeless body into the river and watched it mercilessly.

 

"Better dead then dull." she said, towering over her prize, a kill, added to the 9 she had already made.

 

Her body stiffened and ducked by her reflexes while another ping, bright red like the blood thickening the water shone in front of her. She had a second to dart back into the safety of the bush but was interrupted by a roar and a giant sword knocking her back. It cut her side luckily not so deep and she let out a groan through gritted teeth and mentally cursed herself for not being fast enough. Garen's sword lit up and he charged from the bushes but Katarina noticed this before but her mind hesitated for a split second.

 

She quickly leapt back up to her feet and blocked a heavy blow from the Demacian. His eyes burned with rage and overpowered her but she regained control as her eyes darted to an open area and she struck the man in the side as revenge. He parried her attack and kept his place firm. They eyed each other venomously as dark memories plagued their thoughts for a brief moment before they struck each other again. Their blades clanked and parried each swift motion each dealing small amounts of damage to each other until they were both bloody from head to toe.

 

"Ready for trouble?" she spat, a few yards away from the Demacian who wiped blood from his busted brow.

 

He clenched his chiseled jaw before yelling angrily at the Sinister Blade, "I WILL NOT FALTER!"

 

He spun around so many times and so fast Katarina dodged nearly every attack due to her trained reflexes but lost track when she thought his rampage would end. The last swing of his sword landed her in the river and onto her back very roughly. She skidded across the shallow muddy back and reached for her blades that always remained by her sides.

 

"Shit!" she said and realized that they had skidded out of her grasp.

 

The Sinister Blade staggered to get up and gasped for air. Holding her stomach from the blow, she found her footing again. Her mind was clouded with senses telling her where she was injured and the sting they left was evident. She was heavily beat up and wounded to the maximum. Her body froze when the Demacian charged closed to her and all those seconds slowed down the time. She met the eyes of her attacker and saw herself reflect in his eyes. She was trained in the academy for many years not to show fear even to death and she swallowed the acid that ran up her throat and shut her eyes and relaxed herself repeating the last words she would say to her victims before finishing them.

 

'It will be quick and painless...'

 

A whistle flew by her ear and landed with a sound of frost cracking. Katarina's eyes flashed open and saw a crystalline arrow piercing the Demacian in the shoulder right where the joint is. He cried out in pain grabbing hold of his shoulder and immediately began to run back leaving his sword on the ground and not even attempting to retrieve it. Katarina's blade was thrown to her from the dark of the fog and without questioning caught it and shunpo'd in front of Garen startling The man. She thrust her blade extra deep into his plated chest and ferociously roared at the force it took to bring the hilt of the blade right on top of his armor. She kicked him down with her arm and as he went down her large dagger slid from his chest and left the fresh warm blood glistening on the rune engraved blade. She smiled darkly as the announcer's voice brought some good news.

 

"Double kill!"

 

She looked to the dead soldier who's body expelled a blue mist that spiraled up along with blue orbs. She rang out a smile and towered before the dead Demacian.

 

"Serves you right not to mess with Noxus." she said upon spitting his bloody face.

 

The body vanished and the crystallized arrow fell onto the riverbed and laid there floating above the surface. The water carried a small current and brought the arrow to her and her shins blocked the way it was headed. She bent down and picked it up, examining the ranged weapon. Ice. She looked up to see the owner of that arrow come into view, holding another arrow in place on the bow made of the same essence and pointing it low to the ground. Mixed with grace and elegance, the queen of Freljord revealed herself. She paused for a moment and took off her hood and let her hair fall down her back in a waterfall of snow. A light shape of pink accented her pale face and her eyes shone like the depths of the ocean radiating light from above the surface.

 

The Frost Archer walked closer to the Sinister Blade and kept her body low. Katarina tensed as her fingers rasped her wrist and clamped there and dragged her along into the bushes of the jungle till they were far away from where the kill occurred. Why Katarina allowed this woman to simply drag her away she didn't know and her thoughts soon became actions as she jerked her arm away.

 

"What do you think you're doing?" Katarina threatened.

 

The Frost Archer paused and looked at her and caused the assassin's spine to shiver at the cold touch of her eyes. Although her eyes plundered into the emerald forest of the Noxian's and sent off chilling vibes, the queen's expression was calm and collected as well as her tone.

 

"Helping you. Now come quick." she answered and motioning with her hand to come with her.

 

Looking to the sides for any signs of danger she took her chances and followed the Freljordian to a bush and crouched low along with her. She took out a small wrapped item from her pack on her side which quickly vanished. She unwrapped it with her thin fingers taking the time to unwrap it from every side. Katarina watched her hand slowly unravel the pocketed item to be a green misty orb. The Frost Archer spooned her free hand under the orb and tossed the wrapping to the side and cautiously reached for Katarina's arm which hid the gash that had Garen's name written all over it. She stiffened by the hand moving dangerously close to her and shot daggers to the Frost Archer in response.

 

"I will not hurt you, just lift your arm please," she assured the assassin.

 

Katarina looked at her for a moment before slowly lifting her arm and the queen's palm resting on her side pushing the green orb into her. Upon contact, it spiraled around her in a flurry before fading out and healing the wound completely. Katarina felt her skin weave together and stitch itself back together and a sigh of relieve escaped her lips as she drew her head back and lowered her arm. The Freljordian caught this weakness and brought the attention forward into a small smile. The Sinister Blade sneered and wrinkled her forehead etching her eyebrows straight across and slightly curved at the edges.

 

"A little gift from Sona." she stated before disappearing from the bush into the fog of war. Katarina saw her retreating figure and wondered why she had sought out the assassin to heal her in the first place. She hadn't even realized that the arrow still remained in her hand. She looked to the indent the archer left in the bush and then looked to her side. Her face remained emotionless, but something in her made her huff out and shake her head with a tug on the corners of her lips. Maybe teammates are kind of a good thing.

 

After a few more kills and more blood drawn from the Might of Demacia, the scores were 52/7/40 for blue and 60/4/56 for purple the blue team's enemies smiled at each other as they all charged down mid lane. Katarina with her blades ready sneaked in the back and paced. She observed her team about to make a huge mistake as the two dickheads of Noxus and Freljord charged towards the Demacian and Piltover lines to the inhibitors. The both of them scoffed and cracked jokes, pushing each other to the sides and laughed like men would. Sona appeared behind the assassin and looked to the two men ahead of them. She played a tune which would have mimicked her eyes rolling and scolding the men. Her hands went to her hips and the Ionian's head shook with disappointment. She would have too in another time especially if her brother Talon were here but no, he refused to accept the battle and join them.

 

No, it was those two Darius and Tryndamere. It was uncommon for those two to get along but she guessed that most men would get along despite belonging to different states. Sona continued on and looked back to Katarina and harped a tune questioning the Noxian. Katarina signaled for her to go on ahead and motioned that she was going to stay. She nodded once and floated behind the two men and bashed their heads together while smacking her hands on her Etwahl. Katarina straightened herself from her battle ready position and cracked her back while thinking the Ionian's got some nerve to her with a little scoff to her thoughts. She stalked into a bush and waited there for a ping or anything.

 

Its been a minute or two and the sounds of the crickets chirping and hushed howls of the creeps in the jungle. She wondered how they were holding up. The announcer had pronounced two enemies dead, Shyvana and her unfortunate teammate Garen. Then came Darius. From the fog came purple shoots that glided on the ground to Katarina's feet. She watched as Sona raced back up the lane with Tryndemere smiling sinisterly and running faster with his sword dragging across the dirt. Sona played a eerie tune and stretched out her hand toward the barbarian but he scoffed and ran away into the jungle. The Piltover officer Caitlyn went in hot pursuit of Sona, both of them beat up pretty well from the loss of the team fight and the Noxian identifying each of the sheriff's wounds to be skillfully made by Darius's axe.

 

Something burned inside of Katarina and made her hands clench the handles of her daggers. After Sona supported the team how would a teammate abandon her when he himself was able to fend them off? Even as a cold blooded killer who showed no mercy, she didn't agree that was right even to someone who helped you in a battle.

 

With an unknown weakness that caused her to lower her blade for a second but she regained her conscience and positioned herself to attack shaking her head of any stray thoughts. The support was beaten up bad herself and sported a few cuts with bruises. Water had begun to escape her eyes and her pace slowed and she hung her head low as a rust colored gear circled her along with a line that came from the fog. Another second and she was slain with a hole through her chest and she gently curled herself next to her beloved Etwahl and held it close.

 

The blue mist escaped her body and the Sinister Blade watched it disappear into the air. She growled and venomous emerald eyes dashed toward her target. Catching her unaware she appeared behind her and spun her steel blades which gashed her calves. The sheriff fell to her knees and with a solid back she unleashed her anger by shooting 10 knives to her back until she lay dead on her back. Katarina brushed her hair back and heard the kill she made. She saw the sheriff's blood seep from her back and to the sides and turned to Sona's body that lay beside her. She walked to the Ionian and looked dully to her her mind replaying thoughts from earlier that match when Sona had healed them multiple times and stunned three victims for Katarina's liking.

 

 

Katarina was pinged by that red warning again and she begun to run back to the base when she saw the Frost Archer running from the side with a half healthy Vi on her tail. Vi being the relentless girl she was ran under the turret to kill the archer. She ran almost to the fountain when Vi punched her hard and made her stumble away from the safety of the base. Katarina begun to run faster and faster as her body became more aware of the situation than her mind which lagged behind some. Before she knew it, she blocked the blow from Vi with the opposing force of her blade which elicited a gasp from the Freljordian behind her. This caught the assassin of guard slightly and when she regained her senses, The Enforcer was running back to the mid turret which was occupied with blue minions attacking it. Katarina took a knife from her thigh and with one eye she flicked her wrist along with the movement of her arm and it dug into her back.

 

"An enemy has been slain!"

 

The Sinister Blade ignored this and found herself helping up the Frost Archer who remained slumped on the ground. She was dangerously low in health and coughed blood from the impact of Vi's deadly gauntlets. She bent down to encourage the archer to stand up. She didn't want to touch her and kind of yelled at her harshly. Her instincts told her to look up and the last champion she had to face from the opposing team came hurling at the two from across the map. Katarina looked into her eyes and the blue gave her mind some sort of ease from the intense battle they fought. They had fought long and hard keeping the enemy away from their base and the enemy from them. All of the team was bathed in crimson of their own and their victim's and the queen's weak body slumped back down to the floor her head raining with fresh blood to her face. It contrasted greatly with the white of her face and the light shade of pink that adorned her skin was now gone under the layer of snow.

 

"Katarina..." she spoke with her voice produced in almost a whisper.

 

She was only a few feet away from the fountain and extended her arm slightly toward it. The assassin had no other choice but to carry the archer to the base. She sighed and a troubled look took her face and she bent over to take the queen into her arms. Surprisingly she was light and cold to the touch. A step forward and she rested the fragile queen on the inside of the border to the fountain and with weak eyes becoming awake trailed the assassin. Katarina turned her back from her and ignored her. She spoke her name again and rang with worry when she began to run forward. She had to stop it. The rocket increased its velocity and did Katarina. She wasn't going to let anyone die. The nose of the weapon came into view. She rushed head on and roared and her back burned with the eyes of her teammates.

 

"Katarina..."

 

"An ally has been slain."


	2. Shadows

The Sinister Blade rubbed her eyes that had begun to succumb to sleep deprivation.

It had been a long day for her and as well as her duties. Simple as it may have been, the Sinister Blade's week had been outrageous. She had made quick and easy kills, using her ping tactic for her teammates to lure their enemies to their deaths and all the energy her deathly adrenaline put into. It helped the other champions in gaining victories but it caused a hard impact on her mind, making quick judgments and pinpointing strategy for long hours wore her out.

She observed the Freljordian King and Queen talk to some people that have gathered around them after a minute they had entered into view. Tryndamere up roared into laughter and threw his head back while the queen held her hands and chuckled to herself from the people's jokes which was a stark contrast between the pair. He patted her on the back roughly and caused her to stumble forward a bit and lose her footing. Her face peeked from under the hood and eyed him with daggers before shaking off the sensation a second later. The queen's face twisted into a smile and her figure standing as still as a china doll on display or as a Noxian guard. Katarina observed them further and bobbed her head while the people amongst the crowd had blocked her vision from them. She soon gave up the chances of spying when her patience was to the brim. Laying back into her previous comfortable position, she toyed with her knives again but placed two back into her thigh strap.

A few minutes had passed of boring talk and Katarina's eyes becoming heavy, they were beginning to resist the urge to stay open. Other that her mind surging in all sorts of directions. The Sinister Blade shut her eyes finally and recalled their previous battle including the Frost Archer in it. She had never been on the Noxian's side much less in the same lane as her. The queen's swiftness impressed her, but due to battle, she didn't said a word. Katarina had grown familiar with the way she fought, excellent at revealing her hiding seconds before her own death. She had escaped many times under the assassin's bloody knife and had met it twice as much.

Subconsciously, her hand wandered to her side and pinned her thoughts there.

Had the Archer been on the opposing team, she would have struck her in the heart countless times. Even if the assassin's outward expression blinded those around her, she was surprised to see the Archer help her. Not many people would help a Noxian such as herself even on the Fields of Justice. She wondered why the Archer came such a way to bring her heath from Sona, who was a Demacian of all people. Katarina shook her head with a scowl and pinched the bridge between her eyes to rid herself of thoughts. It wasn't like her to think so much.

The venomous green eyes of the assassin focused once more on the hooded queen and the blue eyes that peeked out from time to time. It was the small details that kept her eyes open and her curiosity sharp. The archer's responses to the situation she was in were better than Katarina could ever do. Frozen in place, occasionally smiling, her features showing no sign of interest but deep in thought. Her mind must have wandered out several time because her smiles every 10 seconds were unnecessary. A slanted grin arose when she thought of the most bizarre thing. The assassin under that situation would have killed to silence them much to her amusement.

The assassin stretched her back and leaned to the warm spot in the wood where she had rested for a while now. She heard distinct words describing the match they were in earlier. The queen hadn't gone into much detail which Katarina liked. She wouldn't have wanted for her to discuss any private things that took place in the match and not to strangers at most. Although as the people asked more questions to the queen her face became unsure how to deal with all of them. Fixing up a smile she found how to address them and they in return smiled. Tryndamere became silent as he chugged his beer in gulps. It seemed quite brutal that he drank that fact and wiped it shamelessly onto his bare arm then wiping it onto his armor. Thankfully he did that while his wife unwillingly chatted a bit more with the people and one by one they became uninterested and left.

Till the last one she spoke to left, the queen turned to him with her arms crossed. Katarina raised an eyebrow and halted her fiddling with the knife. The archer pulled the barbarian to the side in between a doorway just in front of the assassin's place. The darkened wood of the door enhanced the queen's side profile exquisitely, outlining every detail from the side of her face. Her blue eyes looked around alertly before turning sharply and hooking to him. Their icy glint from the lantern lights above them shot the assassin's neck hairs high and stiffened her body. Catching hold of her body's actions she soothed her muscles and pressed the question as to why back into the dark of her mind. 

The Frost Archer's voice sounded different this time. From speaking with others it was calm but her slight expressions gave away her nerves and in the way that Katarina viewed it, it was more real. She leaned in so much that her face almost became exposed and she had to hide back again. She perked her senses to them but couldn't make out what they said.

Tryndamere placed his hands firmly on his hips and swayed slightly looking down upon her. His position gave a vibe of impatience and malevolence to her words and her lips began to slow down their quick movement from the intense staring. He cocked his head slightly to the side squinting his eyes and revealing a sly grin. He shifted his feet and turned to exit but turned back again and stroked his chin then sipped from his cup. Furrowing his eyebrows and lowering his drink to the last thing she had said, he leaned himself far into her and backed her against the gray stone wall that caved them in. The assassin soaked every detail like a sponge. Slowly he raised his hand that instinctively met the handle of his sword and challenging her gaze, unsheathed it and brought it down to his side. The whites of his knuckles uncovered the fury that raged inside him. His wife on the other hand, had not flinched once. Her arms had moved themselves down to sustain her back against the cold stone and her fingers wrapped around the edge of the wall. Strangely, her face was unaffected. She remained still and held her posture despite being forced against a wall. Not a wrinkle of her lips nor a tug from her brow indicated such fear to escape the royalty of Freljord.

Her hands betrayed her bravery and every second he inched forward, her grip strengthened. Tryndamere backed away after the few moments and gave some air back into Katarina's lungs. Taking the glass of beer to his face again, he drank till the last drop then belched unpleasantly loud. Katarina cringed upon hearing it echo even to where she lied perched. The Frost Archer also cringed but for an entirely different reason. He laughed and then turned to exit at the same time his wife releasing her grip from the wall and releasing the tension. Before he left however, he brought himself close to her ear and whispered something that made her immobilize. 

After he had disappeared into the lessening crowd, the queen sunk herself to the step of the doorway and covered her head in her arms. A few shutters escaped her form yet the silence concealed them. She had remained in that position for a while now and the crowd had diminished completely. With the moon illuminating the rugged dirt path and the white haired beauty, a glint of steel shone through the air before landing right beside the Freljordian's head. She slowly lifted her eyed to see what had impacted the wood and she examined the silver throwing knife engraved with an 'S'. Noticing the way the back end stood up she trailed her eyes to the high beam overhead, and the disappearance of a shadow into the night.


	3. Thank You

Thwack!

Thwack!

Pang!

With a lopsided grin and a glass of wine, the Sinister Blade lowered her arm and walked over to the target. She turned her attention to the lodged knives and saw they had all hit perfectly into the center. With one tug she pulled the clustered weapons then turned to set them on the old wood table beside her and left one in her fingers. With a smile she walked back to the same position and met a pair of amused eyes from across the room.

Her spectator had her chin resting in her palms and motioned her to continue. Taking the knife between her index and thumb, Katarina eyed the center, motioned with her other thumb till it was just the right coordination it hit right where she wanted it to go. She jumped a bit from her concentration and sensing the cold metal reach her fingertips from her blade's hilt. she heard a few claps and a whistle from the Bounty Hunter.

"Woo! I'm surprised you never miss."

Katarina scoffed and took out the knife wedged deep into the wood and walked to her. "I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet."

She took the glass and with her head back, gulped the last bit before setting it down in front of of her companion.

"I'll take a bomber. "

"You sure?" she said raising a perfectly curved eyebrow.

Katarina nodded while running her thumb over the scarred wood of the counter. "You know what I like."

She rolled her eyes and smirked. Turning around she belt down and revealed a dark bottle from behind a few wine bottles in one of the lower cabinets. Opening it, a sweet aroma of pink smoke arose from the bottle and fresh pink liquid was poured into the cup and halted at the appropriate measurement just two inches below the rim.

Sarah placed the bottle to the side and from the top of a shelf a yard away, she took a small glass bottle with with darker, purple liquid. The woman whirled the glass creating a bloody red and bubbled slightly. The Bounty Hunter turned around and flipped her red hair off her shoulder and set the drink atop the counter.

"There." she stated with a smile. Her eyes looked up at the mirroring green of the assassin hoping for some sort of gratitude. Instead, the Noxian instantly focused on the cup and twirled the liquid inside of it. She sighed.

"You're lucky you don't have a fee."

"For a bounty hunter such as yourself it's pretty ironic." She joked and retreated back to her spot in the back. Her partner huffed and took a rag that hung on the rack underneath the counter and cleaned it. She eyed the assassin for a second while Katarina accommodated herself in the corner then focused on cleaning up the bar.

The Noxian leaned into her chair and watched the drink bubble lightly. She took another sip of it before leaning back and held the beverage in her mouth to savor it. It was sweet, the way she always favored it. It felt like chocolate melted on her tongue and gave the sweetness of sugar but a light sour after taste of beer. Swallowing it made her shiver as she felt it seep down with a trail of ice.

She set the drink down and shook her head to rid of the effect of the first taste. From her right ear, she heard a hello ring from her partner to someone that came in the door that signaled with a bell to their arrival but she paid no attention assuming it was just another late night champion. The Noxian did wonder why Sarah would let anyone other than her in at this hour. Shrugging it off, Katarina walked over to the front of the target again and relaxed herself cracking her neck and letting loose.

Concentrating on the center of interest, she reached for her knife on her thigh but was abruptly interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. In a spit second she vanished leaving behind a puff of purple smoke with an arm around her victim and her famous runed blade to her neck. Her hand felt a slight tug and opposition of temperature but she wasn't going to lower her defenses at no cost. The slight shiver of the person she trapped made her blood thirst skyrocketed but recognizing who it was instantly, she lowered her tone deep into a growl, annoyed by the outcome. "What are you doing here?"

A pale hand raised up Katarina's knife and was held carefully by the hilt followed by a calm voice. "I came to return this."

Hesitating for a moment, she lowered her blade and walked cautiously around her visitor never losing eye contact and kept a firm grip on her weapon. She extended her hand to return the knife but kept her eyes away from the Noxian's. Her fake boldness made her eyes roll and cross her arms. Seeing that the archer had no more words to say to her, she exhaled an annoyed breath making it known she shouldn't have come here. "I have no use for thrown away blades especially when they are touched by enemy hands, so there's no need for you to waste your time."

Her ice blue eyes looked at the knife before turning to hers and making the Sinister Blade's stomach churn. "So you mean I can keep it?"

She rolled her eyed and glared at her. "The League supplies me with unlimited equipment and I don't care what happens to them."

A light shade of pink returned to her white skin and she pulled her hand back taking the knife and holding to her chest like a keepsake. "Thank you." she said with a smile and a polite bow. Katarina remained unaffected. As long as the Frost Archer was here she wasn't going to enjoy throwing her knives and practicing her aiming or the peace of her drink. She sat down taking a deep breath that the archer was gone and away from her. Freljordians were never good company considering their land was in civil war.

From the corner of her eye she hasn't moved from where she stood. Katarina leaned forward and sustaining herself with an arm on the table she took her drink and sipped it, ignoring the other woman hoping that would get her to go. It didn't. She remained there on her toes and bit her lip searching for anything to reply to Katarina.

The assassin remained there, frozen with her lips glued to her cup in her own annoyance and failure of getting the queen to leave. Her thoughts spurred with questions that irrigated doubt and worry. The archer cleared her voice which eased Katarina a little in hopes of finding a better way to rid her.

"I also wanted to thank you for the match the other day."

Unclipping her lips from the cup and erasing the wetness from her mouth she raised her eyebrow along with her eyes to meet the archer's in silent question. "What you did was very brave to um, save me."

"I did it for the team. It wasn't for you."

She opened her mouth to say something, but she shut it when she rethought her response. "I thank you for it. No one's ever done that for me."

Katarina scoffed. "Oh yeah? What makes you think I did that for you, your highness?"

Her face lessened and sunk solemnly to the ground avoiding . Her voice grew weaker with each word and every one of them was caught by the assassin's complacent stare.

"I...I don't know, it was just an assumption..."

"Don't waste your breath." she countered.

"May I buy you a drink?"

Katarina's eyebrows arched at the word 'drink'. No was her quick and blunt answer. The Freljordian huffed silently at her failing attempts to strike conversation but Katarina noted it. "I've already had four, I don't need no more for tonight." she sighed.

She looked at Katarina for a moment opening her mouth but then nodded in reply. "Ok. I hope you have a nice rest and I shall see you again sometime. Goodnight."

With that, she turned tail and left along with a wave to Sarah before exiting the bar with a silent click of the door. Katarina sat back wide eyed replaying the entire scene. Twisting her face into the confused look she bore in her mind, she took a gulp of her drink and shuttered once more feeling the effects pour in and reality taking hold of her mind. It felt a bit odd that a queen such as herself would ask to buy her a drink. What's more she...thanked her.

A small smile crept to her lips without effort and her eyes closed to feel the weakness developing in her chest and rising steady onto her face. It almost made her giggle until it vanished when a pair of arms circled around her neck and a pair of breasts pushed against her back.

"What did Ashe want with you?" Sarah asked a bit curiously.

Katarina was accustomed to her approaches and shrugged her off. This gave Sarah the initiative to take a seat in front of her friend and to know more about her and the queen's brief encounter. Adjusting the seat to accommodate the Bounty Hunter, she leaned in and rested her chin on her palms with sparking eyes upon the assassin.

"She wanted to buy me a drink."

"Really?" came the immediate reply.

"That and she thanked me for the match the other day." she said leaning back against the chair and taking another sip.

"Huh, I see." she said. "Well that's good. I was wondering why she would come in so late for a drink. Mostly Tryndamere's here but drags her around places."

The assassin hummed.

"Oh and I saw your match. Must say what you did for her was very...brave of you. Running head on towards Jinx's death rocket? Pure suicide. The whole League was shocked!" she laughed and slapped the table which caused it to shake. Katarina lowered her head while Sarah laughed and recalled the scene. She remembered well what had happened that day but she was still stumped over her and the Frost Archer.

Katarina furrowed her brows already irritated with everything. "I did it for the team." she pressed.

"The whole 'team' was in full health except you and her." she parried and poked Katarina's forehead with a finger. An annoyed grunt escaped from the assassin's clenched jaw.

"You saved her life."

The assassin scowled at the words letting herself a bit loose. Knowing her partner was only teasing, she always got the worst out Katarina. She couldn't defend her place when all the evidence was right there and being thrown in her face. Lowering her head, the Sinister Blade looked around the bar hoping to find something to come into her mind to regain some confidence to her. Sarah smirked and laid back whilst tapping a finger on the table and crossed her legs knowing she had won another round.

"Well. What you did was a good thing." she said breaking the awkward air between them. Katarina looked at her hand which twiddled with her cup's rim. "You think so?" she asked with a hushed tone so no one else would hear. Then again who could?

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. What else did she say?"

The Sinister blade shifted her hand on the cup and thought of a lie but it failed to reach the surface. "She gave me back a knife I lost in the fields."

Sarah cocked an eyebrow. "You losing knives? I don't think so."

Katarina sighed. Lying never got anywhere with Sarah. "I uh, went to the Lunar Festival last night and I saw her and Tryndamere talking to a few people there. Something happened and I threw my knife at her."

Sarah's eye grew wider and gasped. The Noxian's eyebrow twitched at the sudden response but understood her partner's actions as she placed both hands on the table with her eager green eyes looking betrayed. "You went to the Lunar festival without me?!"

"That's not the point and plus I was overhead, hidden." the assassin explained. Sarah's expression faded to a serious one. "Were you trying to kill her?"

Katarina shook her head. "I saw Tryndamere threaten her or tell her something that made her freak out. He left and I just felt compelled to do something."

"I'm sure he was only kidding. That barbarian of a man always has that crude humor of his. You know once he told Gragas to sit in a chair Teemo was already sitting in and the poor fellow didn't even realize he was stealthed!" Sarah cracked. Katarina slouched again and placed her head into her hand looking dully at her partner. Sarah saw this and sighed though her cheerfulness hadn't faded.

Sarah stretched her arms high above her head and yawned loudly. She stood up and pinched her friend's shoulder but had her hand automatically pushed away.

"Come on, it's past my bedtime and way past closing time. Finish your drink and lets get back to the dorms." Katarina didn't budge which made the Bounty Hunter pout. Sarah saw from the corner of her eye her partner's lips pull themselves into a grin and seized the chance she could never get during the day. Katarina in the other hand, simply ignored her and payed attention to her beloved drink at its final drop.

"Kaaaaaaaat!" she whined and rested her entire weight on the Noxian. She could help but release a smile at her partner's attempts to persuade her.

"Hold on!" she strained while failing to resist the urge to laugh while the other woman let herself go limp on the assassin. "Kaaaaaaaaat!"

"Stop!" she insisted putting a hand over her mouth to cover her laughs. She nudged Sarah with her elbow but the strength wasn't enough to knock her off. "Stop it!"

Sarah knowing the assassin all too well, made a quick turn of events at Katarina's bare torso and began to tickle her to continue the small weakness she bore and crashed onto the floor in a heap of laughter.

Katarina held her sides firm and squirmed helplessly under her partner's hold letting go small squeaks and giggles she could not contain as the tough Noxian assassin she was. They laughed hard until they were both exhausted and out of breath. Giving a few chuckles a chance to leave them, they got up from the ground and then out the door after setting up the rest of the stools and chairs on the tables and returning the empty cup to its place after a wash. Sarah escorted Katarina outside of the bar and into the grand halls of the Institute then locked the doors with a long skeleton key. With a good tug to ensure the door was successfully locked, she wiped her hand on her pants with a twisted scowl. "Ugh they should do a better job at cleaning this place! It's like a billion years old!"

Katarina shook her head at her words with a smile to her. "Maybe more like a decade. It's not that bad, not like Noxus." Sarah objected. "Not even! Bilgewater's worse with them and their stupid pirates!"

"Aren't you a pirate Miss Fortune?" she purred while bending her head to meet Sarah's. "As if."

"Says the one with a captain's hat."

Sarah crossed her arms and grunted looking away from Katarina's satisfied grin and looked at the floor. The old chipped stone was pretty ragged against her heels and the sound they made did nothing to help the sleeping champions. She continued to pause her strut and look at the dirt on her heels until Katarina soon realized that she was walking alone and several feet in front. "What's wrong this time?" she inquired dully.

"The floor's too dirty and it's making my shoes loose their shine." she whined softly wary of the others around them. She looked to the Noxian and saw she wasn't really paying attention. The night had begun to bring back reality and sense to her with her duties.

Sarah took a deep breath and sighed. Katarina was always caught up in thought she wondered what went on in that mind of hers...

"What're you looking at?"

Sarah's mind snapped and she locked eyes with the assassin. She shrugged it off with a laugh and swayed side to side mentally cursing herself. "Oh nothing! Was just thinking, that's all."

Katarina nodded and Sarah exhaled knowing her sign that she was ok with it.

A few moments later Sarah looked at Katarina again but this time she carried a wholesome grin and the Noxian knew exactly what she wanted.

"Please?" asked the Bounty Hunter with hands clasped behind her back and on her toes.

Katarina blew her hair from her face and rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Yay!" she cheered and hopped onto Katarina's back. Sarah wasn't all that heavy but there was a difference between her and the Frost archer, she thought. Much thinner Ashe was compared to Sarah and her skin was the utmost soft and cold. Not that Sarah's was not soft but it lacked the icy appearance and touch that perked the assassin's senses. How was it that Ashe was so cold? Freljord was a cold place but did her home come with her? Or was she cold blooded like some people say? Katarina shook her head and vanished the stray thoughts from her mind but she knew they would come back.

She kept a vigilant eye while coursing through the dark hallways of the Institute. The Noxian was wary of those who wandered through the night and those who would flip if they saw her like this. It didn't dawn on Sarah to know that the Noxian's entire reputation would be shattered if anyone saw them like this, champions and summoners alike. Katarina's senses were at their sharpest extend and her palms sweaty over this, and she dashed through the shadows of the moon's light from the arched windows.

She made her way to the Bilgewater side and dropped Sarah off with a goodbye and a 'see you tomorrow'. Careful to not make any noise, Katarina carefully tip toed into her side of the Institute which was directly across from where Sarah was located in the west wing. The Noxian fumbled through her pockets in search for her key and when her hand finally found it, she jiggled the lock and swung open the door while flipping inside and locking it with a light click. She walked over to her bed and flopped onto the hard mattress and upon meeting the pillow fell into a deep sleep.


	4. Vunerable

The institute flurried with champions. Conversations and laughs rang about left and right while Katarina shut her door and trekked her way down the hall. She tugged on her jacket and belt adjusting her carelessness from waking up and throwing on her clothes. Everyday it went on like this, following the same routine of showering, getting dressed and heading down to eat breakfast with her family. Not that she was excited enough to see them.

Quickening her pace and dodging the people walking slowly in front of her, Katarina righted herself as she approached the grand doors to the large Dining Hall. She always found herself looking at the heavy oak doors fastened with large metal hinges. She sighed and took the cold steel handle into her hands. The Noxian heaved the door open to reveal the morning light shine bright against her eyes which was something she never liked. She shielded them and continued her way past the long straight rows of tables and benches.

She sat quietly down at the Noxian table which was towards the back of the room and in a dark corner where the light from the upper window's shone above. Katarina brought her collar higher and ducked her head just a bit while she observed the vigilante eyes of the proud Demacians looking about from the opposite side of the dining hall. Garen, the Might of Demacia as some call him and a nuisance to some others, erupted into laughter and drew his hands to his hips. His witty little sister Lux exploded into laughter and the Demacian table was banged multiple times which drew attention from the more quieter tables.

The assassin grunted and rolled her eyes. Seeing her sister Cassiopeia and her brother Talon arrive with plates of food, Katarina forgot the repulsive Demacians and focused on the plate that was set down in front of her.

"Three eggs, two pieces of bacon and a piece of toast with honey. Need anything else, princess?" Cassiopeia teased with a hiss. She coiled up beside Katarina at the foot of the table while Talon took to facing the assassin.

"Don't call me that." Katarina grunted. Her sister only smirked and fanned her clawed hand.

"I'll take that as a no." Cassiopeia said beginning to take her food into her mouth. She had the same thing as her sister, although she did have a few pieces of raw rat flesh on her plate. It was carved perfectly by Cass's claws, thought Katarina, taking in the precision of the cut flesh now entering into her fanged mouth. She lowered her arm to see her sister gawking at her with a serious face.

"What, do you want some too?" she taunted.

The assassin snapped back and shook her head slightly meeting her sister's equally venomous stare. Cass's eyes dilated thinner till all her pupil became a thin line and her grin stretching wide. Katarina felt herself shrinking into her seat but righted herself and answered her in a growl. "I'd rather drink Demacia's sewerwater than eat a rat you found off the streets."

Cassiopeia's thin eyebrows creased and she clenched her jaw, unable to say anything or keep still. Talon instantly stopped her with an arm when she stood up higher and gave her a look. Cass's took a moment and looked at Talon but he nodded and she sunk down into her coiled body. Katarina eyed Talon's response and gave him an almost thankful gesture but he nodded it off and continued eating.

Silence over took the trio for a short time till the head of Noxus's military showed up with his allies. Talon raised his cup to their arrival and brought it to himself again. His eyes shifted towards Katarina's who begun to take her plate and rose.

"Ah, Miss Du Couteau, leaving so soon?" called General Swain being ever so sly. He took the silverware into his hands and skillfully twirled the knife and stopped it short with the menacing point at her. "Won't you rather dine with your General?"

The words slipped from her tongue with ease. "I have much better things to do."

With that, she left and felt his anger boil in his blood.

However, she wasn't the only one who had left. He took off, dumping his food out swiftly next to him in a garbage bin and trailed after Katarina. She sensed his presence behind her and looked from the corner of her eye till they made it towards the entrance to the hallway. "You don't have to be so harsh Kat. He's like family." said Talon, his voice gruff.

"He'll never be like my father."

"Yes, but do you have to be so harsh?" he implied. Katarina looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. He never was compassionate which rose her next statement into question. She was interrupted by his finger silencing her and pulled out a knife along with a side grin.

"Let the blades do the talking."

She smiled and playfully reached for the knife but was retracted with a laugh. "Guess we'd have to save that for another day eh, sis?"

She nodded and concealed her laughter. "Yeah."

Their attention was cut off by the sound of the game that came back on after the break of the news. The score was announced 18/8/15 to the blue team and 14/6/12 to the purple team. The game had been going on for 15 minutes already showing two blue team members running for cover and the jungler at their heels. "It's an ugly game. It's not even worth watching."

"Why?" she asked, her interest peaked a little bit.

"The game itself is a total bloodbath, every corner has a trap and there are just deaths everywhere." Talon said, leaning back against a pillar they were standing by.

Katarina turned to watch the game, which was a magic visionary at the top of another pillar at the corner of the hallway that intersected the other hallway. Many champions that where headed in different directions paused to look at the current game but others walked right past. She leaned in next to Talon and crossed her arms watching the game from thousands before.

The camera shifted to the bushes where a small member of the enemy purple team was advancing toward the Blue buff Golem which was smashing the ground in pursuit of Fizz, allied with the blue team. The swift scout waited patiently in the bush, laying down a mushroom that poisonously glowed a beautiful bright green spotted with magenta. He prepared to strike the heavily bruised champion with his infamous blinding darts and aimed for the neck. As the Golem fell back the blue ring marked with ancient runes crowned the feet of the new victor, Fizz looked around cautiously and leapt out into the lane.

The yordle grinned.

He blew the dart and it aimed perfectly for the neck, its purple feathers sticking up. He looked around blindly fear taking over his darkened eyes at the same time Teemo leapt out and shot three lethal darts which hit him in his back. The effects of the poison took over him and dropping his weapon, he coiled up and shivered ferociously. He looked wide eyed at his attacker before the poison took over his mind and he laid there in the dirt foaming from the mouth and eyes horrifyingly white. The buff immediately circled around the small scout and he skipped out of view smiling at the announcer displaying his kill overhead.

"Oooh," said Talon along with a few bystanders, wincing at the death but wearing a satisfying grin unlike the crowd around them. "That Teemo surely knows how to make an impression."

Katarina acknowledged this and watched further.

The Ionians, Irelia and Master Yi, fled the scene after ganking the bot lane that held the mighty Freljordian Braum. He had been immediately respawned back at the fountain after being brutally torn from his shield by Irelia and taken down by a turret dive from Yi. The two ran away into the unknown protection of the jungle to recall. Surprisingly for a support and the newest member of the League, Braum was capable of injuring them both even without the assistance of the ADC who was suspected M.I.A.

Under the safety of a bush they hadn't realized the horror that was about to lash out upon them. With stealth unlocked and a sinister purr, blades and claws tore at their flesh in a flash they didn't have time to think. Ionian blood leaked out from the bush and a double kill ring about the Pridestalker's ears just as he stalked out and ran towards the commotion running about in the other side of mid lane.

Rengar clenched his teeth and gripped his hooked blade still dripping with blood and steadied himself to pounce on unsuspecting prey. The legendary Baron Nashor roared and erupted noxious spit oozing from his broad, rancid mouth. The blue team dodged his attacks and fought forcefully against the vile creature completely unaware of the enemy keeping them under surveillance. Maybe if they defeated the epic monster, the blue team would have an advantage towards winning. It was their only hope as they continued to fight hard against their enemy.

Rengar's whiskers twitched and his tail swished as he felt his teammates close in on the action in a ring. He signaled a halt to Teemo who was ready to charge and the yordle quickly got back into the bush. Just when Baron was about to be slain, Rengar let out a mighty roar and his team leapt into action. He swiftly dispatched the monster and it shrieked before falling into the lagoon while the enemy fought endlessly to escape. the purple team felt their abilities and bodies surge with new found power from the purple buff circling around them with glowing energy.

The blue team's strongest fighter, Nidalee, ran a ways away with Riven on her tail and threw a spear at her which she quickly avoided with a ki-burst that launched her away and she advanced forward once more igniting her and slicing her in the back.

Nidalee roared in pain and transformed into her cougar self. Beautiful creamy fur grew from her skin and claws took over her filed nails. She leapt onto Riven with all her raw strength and clawed her face. Riven screeched at the searing pain and pushed off Nidalee with her shoulder. She sliced the air in front of the two of them and sent a sharp green mist that cut deep into the huntress ending her immediately. Riven held her face with her hand and led a blood trail into the jungle with her sword dragging along the dirt.

Braum shielded Irelia's blades with his mighty shield frozen in a tall block of impenetrable ice. The telekinetic blades bounced off the shield only scratching the surface. Irelia's eyes glowed yellow and she launched four terrifying daggers toward them. Braum took every one except on that brushed right past the edge and lodged itself directly into Rengar's leg.

He yelled and held it and with a forceful tug he ripped the dagger from his leg and threw it into the shallow water. His hands glowed dark with sharp red needle protruding from the dark mist surrounding his fists. He growled and leapt onto the wall beside them and jumped in front of Irelia and she yelled when he stabbed her clear in the chest with all his fury. He yanked it out and found his next victim attacking him from his right.

Fizz was halted by Rengar's claws clenched tightly on his neck. He held the poor yordle into the air while he held onto his powerful hand trying to allow some entry for his breath. He threw the tidal trickster behind him and was prepared to strike the next enemy that lay in his path. The water that camped his feet slowly churned and spiraled around faster and faster. Rengar looked to the water and tensed his muscles.

Two black eyes came up from under him and a set of gigantic jaws erupted from the ground caving in the pridestalker. Rengar held the mouth of the great shark opened and slowly pried it open proving it difficult by the second. With his lip curling and the bridge of his nose creasing, he let out a mighty roar and open the jaws and pushed them back into the ground.

The small crowd cheered and applauded the while lion in his triumph over Fizz's ultimate ability. Katarina seemed unfazed but even Talon applauded only slower. The fight was not over yet.

Master Yi assaulted Vayne and Teemo for a double kill along with severely injuring Braum who escaped as he slowed Yi with his icy ram horns from his shield. Master Yi stopped and stood his ground behind Rengar. He turned around to see the Wuju Bladesman with his sword above his head and his hand in front ready for the first move.

Rengar indeed struck first. He aimed for his neck but the lion's blade was quickly parried by the bladesman's sword. He slid Rengar's blade off with a metallic ring and struck him in the side but was cut off by the two bone claws that he had tied to the back of his hand. He swatted his sword away from him and with his other free hand, he took his blade and sliced Yi's cheek. Yi held it and flipped further away with Rengar's chest and a solid platform for his escape. Rengar took his bolas from his belt and spun them over his head and threw them to slow down his prey, But was interrupted by an icy arrow piercing into his shoulder.

Katarina's mind instantly shifted to the frost archer's appearance towards the scene.

Ashe stalked elegantly and pulled out five arrows and show them all at once slowing the pridestalker charging towards her. She kept calm and shot arrows at lightning speed and fired a charged arrow that landed in his heart. He staggered and It electrocuted him along with the water which Ashe avoided for the second while she held onto the edge of a cliff with her feet safely on the wall. This gave her enough time to escape from Baron's lagoon but her plan was failed when she flashed but remained there.

She cursed and tried to escape through the way she came but her path was blocked by the tall dark shape with arrows sticking out from his back. Ashe's blue eyes screamed fear but her mind was rapidly thinking. He grew closer, taking his time and letting fear consume her before taking his kill. She saw a narrow escape and took herself to it but she was held fast to the wall with his large clawed hand gripping her waist. He gripped it tighter taking in the pleasure of her cries for help. The pain was so unbearable she dropped her weapon.

The assassin furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Ashe struggle in her final moments.

Rengar flipped his hooked blade and brought it to Ashe's neck. the frost archer stopped fighting and only looked into his hungry eyes.

Talon watched eagerly and cheered along with the rest of the people as the announcer displayed his kill and victory in scoring an ace. He turned to join in his sister's amusement but his eyes only fell upon the vacancy of where she stood.


	5. Targets

The Sinister Blade twiddled around with her knife that shone in the moonlight. The window was right beside her, in a hexagonal shape, illuminating the quiet training center below in the space above. She rested her head on the window frame and rubbed the 'S' engraved in the steel with her thumb.

The darkness consumed her figure except her hand with the weapon. It cast its shadow all the way to the door, which was directly in front of where she rested with the ray of moonlight illuminating the entrance amongst the rest of the dispersed equipment. The room itself was a wreck she thought. Where she rested herself often was the storage space that held extra equipment and weapons needed. It was compared to that of a hayloft inside a barn where they kept feed and supply for winter. She made herself comfortable by the window, often observing champions who trained there or just stayed there lost within her own mind. Tonight was one of those times where she couldn't help her mind's desire to ponder.

Despair. Fear. Vulnerability. Weakness.

Katarina crinkled her nose at the words. More so with their meanings.

It was exactly what her home taught her not to have and it was exactly what Ashe displayed. She showed vulnerability. The Noxian wouldn't have let her blades leave her side even if she was being burned alive. It was something no one should do. Reveling at the absurd idea Katarina grunted and remembered the archer's face. Fear. The queen wasn't too good in lying maybe because she was raised to be honest and truthful. She showed fear in her eyes although her body remained perfectly calm. It was one of the things Katarina hated.

Her thoughts were cut off by the eerie creak of the door. Her eyes caught the curves of a crystalline bow hugging the back of a petite figure.

Ashe looked around vigilantly straying her face away from the light with the hood. The gold borders of the cloth shined meekly along with the thin strands of snowy hair that peeked out from her cowl.

The Noxian watched attentively as she slowly closed the door, like that did anything for the squeaking metal hinges. She shut it firmly with her hand to the door then let out an audible breath. The queen figured that she was alone but that was not the case. Her hand wavered over her head and tore her cowl back. Ashe's hair fell flawlessly in place down her back and chest and her face revealed itself from its dark cave. She was indeed a beautiful woman that displayed elegance and grace with every stride, look and word.

She took her bow from her back and fixed the hair that was stuck on the bow string. Ashe mumbled curses to herself which crept a smile to Katarina's face. The Freljordian queen then walked to the center of the room then shifted towards the side to heave a training dummy from the shadows.

Katarina inched closer toward the edge of the hayloft and perched herself there making sure she was still hidden well. Ashe stretched herself forming a T with her arms then switching them to stretch her other arm. She stood a few yards away from the target that was painted sloppily with dull red on the center of the dummy's chest and armed her enchanted bow with one of the many arrows she carried in her quiver. She let out a cool breath which echoed softly and drew back, releasing all the tension she carried.

The arrow shot through the air like a bullet and hit the target dead at the center releasing splinters from the inside of the target. Her lips peeled back a smile and she took another into her string and struck right next to the first arrow. Over and over again she hit the same spot until a cluster of a dozen or more arrows occupied the exact same place. Ashe giggled to herself and went to take them out. She was careful to pull them out and brushed each one off and placed them back neatly into her quiver. Taking her bow back into her hands, she stroked the sleek edges smoothly. "Avarosa you never fail me." she whispered.

Katarina gave the bow a closer look. It shined a sky blue, and its sleek curves shimmered a golden tint. It was truly a magnificent bow and to her knowledge, Ashe had found it in the woods when she was younger. How- she didn't know but the tale must have been told thousands of times as bed time stories in her land. It seemed weird that she of all people would find the bow with her being scrawny and weak at that time.

She talked to the bow, how weird could that be? Katarina thought. Weapons were weapons, they were just tools to kill with. The bow however did shimmer like it was responding which held the assassin's eyes on it for a while. When she was finished speaking, she set it upright against the wall then took out something a little more familiar.

Ashe held Katarina's knife to her chest and gripped the handle tightly before letting it loose and glint in the moonlight. She held it from the bottom gently and brought it up higher to view the details of the throwing knife in the light. She examined the object with such interest Katarina had never seen someone so intense about anything. It almost fascinated her.

The queen lowered the blade and ran her finger through the engraved 'S' and held the flat end of the knife with her palm. She avoided the dangerously sharp edges and took the hilt into her hand in a fist. Unsure how to do it, she awkwardly stretched out her arm and with an eye looked at the target. She even marked her location with her thumb and with little hopes, threw it.

The Sinister Blade held her mouth to block an incoming laugh. The wooden wall to the back of the archer clanked loudly along with a few iron things that crashed onto the floor in a big heap. Katarina heard small curses coming from the queen's mouth, some of them that would have been known from the mouth of a sailor such as Sarah. She quickly ran towards the dropped equipment and stacked it neatly back on the rack it was perched on and tidied up the area as well.

Katarina hadn't realized her eyes had followed the small archer to the back of the room and left her head hanging over the edge of the loft with her red hair dangling like a banner. Her emerald eyes were eager to watch the next move of the Freljordian and she snapped her head back to where she sat when Ashe turned around. She walked back to the center of the room and looked at the knife she held. She looked a bit closer to it and wiped something off with her licked thumb and stood again in the same position. She took a deep breath and aimed but did not throw it. She relaxed and took in some air again and receded her hand but still did not let go.

Something was holding her back. Maybe inexperience?

The queen's gaze averted to her bow then fell back to the target and tried the same method which resulted in the same thing...again. This time the knife landed in front of her on the other wall. She mumbled to herself and took the knife lodged deep into the wood after a few solid tugs. Katarina noticed it was deeply wedged. The queen spent a little more time trying to take it out, using more force than she did with her precious arrows. The iron of Katarina's knife was far more stronger and durable than Ashe's fragile ice arrows although Ashe treated her knife the same way. The assassin observed how she dealt with the knife and concluded that she did have strength. Not in her physical self, but with weapons. Katarina herself could throw it easily and the blade would make an impact of that degree but for the Frost Archer to mimic her strength was impressive. She only lacked aim.

Ashe went back to the same spot and did everything again and hesitated slightly before terribly throwing the weapon again. She adjusted her feet so that they were a bit more planted on the floor hoping it would change things.

"Wrong." a voice rang out. Ashe jumped slightly and lost her concentration. She looked around frantically for a second then slowed down to scan the shadows for the owner of the voice.

The owner of the voice was also startled. She didn't think her thoughts would be spoken but she was clearly so lost she hadn't realized it before it was too late. She would just have to play along with it now.

"You're holding it wrong." She corrected. Ashe looked down to her hand and opened it, waiting for the next instruction. Katarina noticed that she held it firmly like she would with her bow or with a sword. "Hold the tip with your index and thumb then pinch it."

She did just that and waited again.

"Left foot forward, right foot back; shift your weight so your movements flow from the arm to the hand." she spoke, good memories of her early training days flooding into her words. She recalled the same words from her father which made her smile as she spoke. "Take your aim and keep the wrist stiff. Wouldn't want it to chop a head off yet."

Katarina felt warmth in her cheeks after she had finished those last few words. They were indeed good memories. The rich sound of the knife hitting the hay of the training dummy irrigated the room and the assassin opened her eyes to see the knife's hilt staring at her from the light. Ashe had followed Katarina's voice which led her icy blue eyes to spot her silhouette in the hayloft above. The Noxian froze for a second as her eyed met with Ashe's. A chill ran through the assassin's skin and warmth overtook her senses. She gasped slightly and leaned back hoping it would be some sort of escape from the Frost Archer's unsettling gaze.

Ashe stepped closer before halting. The Noxian's silhouette shifted in the shadows and she jumped gracefully down from the tall hayloft completely avoiding the ladder right next to her. Ashe stood her place, making no movements, her head high and her shoulders down. Her eyes were like those of a child observing new toys at a toystore. They were so keen and sparkled under the light Katarina wondered if she too was a weapon.

Ashe stared for a moment longer and hadn't realized her eyes wandered around Katarina's figure to take in the exotic features of her clothes and face. The assassin was still wrapped in the comfort of the darkness and only the tiny glint of her eyes revealed there was someone there.

"Again." she spoke with her voice stern and clear. Ashe looked away from where Katarina stood now and focused back onto the knife. She also hadn't realized that the knife was no longer in her hands and was still stuck onto the target which to the Noxian's amusement smiled at Ashe's innocent foolishness. She grudgingly went to the dummy and pulled out the knife with ease and went back to her spot but fiddled with the knife nervously.

Looks like the queen wasn't so accustomed to visitors.

With a sigh, Katarina moved into the moonlight. The serene radiance fell upon her shoulders and her famous red hair instantly locked those the eyes of the archer in a trance of awe. She didn't know what to do other than just stay still and let Ashe take in her full persona up close. Not many people have done it and lived to tell about it, but Katarina was certainly an different beauty to see and for a royal person to view her with no threat was something. The Noxian tried not to seem fazed by the intent staring of the woman in front of her. It was certainly awkward for the both of them.

With a point of her chin, Katarina eyed the objective, a safe distance away from the archer but still with herself exposed from the dark. Her blank stare reflected the differences from Ashe's. Her pale face now bloomed a sheepish red and she nervously moved to the way she was before. "You're a terrible liar." said the Noxian, aware of Ashe's methods of keeping calm. "Just relax and throw it."

The knife hit on the outermost edge of the target along the shoulder of the dummy. Ashe smiled contently and a small squeal escaped her. She bounced lightly on her toes and turned to Katarina who had crossed her arms and looked away from Ashe's unusual behavior.

"I'm sorry." she apologized seeing that her actions were unmannerly of her. She looked away and twiddled with her arm brace and prayed for forgiveness. "Throw it again." Katarina commanded.

Ashe immediately went to the knife and took it from where it was. She went back to her position and following the new set of instructions, threw the blade. She lit up as the weapon struck the dummy again in the same area. Katarina didn't move a muscle.

"Your aim is off. Turn your body so that you are facing the target."

She hit it again and closer to the center although it was wedged in between the outer lines of the painted target. Ashe smiled again and looked to Katarina.

"What?" she said a bit to rude. It had no effect in Ashe's response.

"I never really hit anything with it except the wall..." she admitted and pointed to the wall with several old stabbings.

"Oh." she said. Ashe shuffled her feet and took a small sigh which the assassin noticed. She looked back up and held the knife to her to take it from her palm.

"May you throw it for me? At least once?" she asked with nervousness hinted in her soft pitched voice. Katarina hesitated and looked at her knife and let out a breath, unfolding her arms and taking the knife from her hands.

"I will throw it but not for you." she flatly stated. It was hard to ignore her marveling blue eyes.

Katarina took the knife and held it against her back, twiddling with the blade till she had it placed perfectly in between her fingers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to let herself be one with her body. In one swift movement she whipped her arm to the front of her and struck the dummy at the center of its heart.

She heard a said wow that escaped from the archer's lips and her head directed itself towards the queen. Ashe gawked at the hilt of the blade not realizing she had spoken her thoughts aloud. The word pondered in Katarina's mind. Were her skills really something to be amazed by?

"Amazing!" she clapped with a smile. Katarina squinted her eyes and stood still. It was weird that the queen she had known to be was reacting like a child. It did have a different effect towards what the assassin believed she would have reacted and caused her face to display a light pink.

"I just threw it. That's all. Why are you acting like that?" she snapped, her cheeks heating up quickly. Ashe caught her words and smiled. "I never seen someone throw a knife so perfectly before unlike me who's been trying to hit that target and is always missing..."

Katarina opened her mouth to say something but instead her face crumbled up into a twisted scowl. She couldn't have thought that someone would 'appreciate' her skills. The same skills that are used to murder people like Ashe. Katarina felt bile rise from her throat and she sunk it down with a swallow.

The Frost Archer's head snapped towards the door that squeaked open and a ginger horn followed by a pair of wavering eyes peeked into the room calling the queen's name in a loud whisper. "Ashe? Ashe?"

Ashe was going to speak until the door shifted open and the legendary Starchild, Soraka sneaked in carrying a silver box in her hand with a bright red cross etched on the side. She shifted the box in her hands and used her free hand to shut the door closed. Soraka lifted her eyes and jumped to come face to face with an unsuspected guest. "K-Katarina." she said, a bit shocked by the Noxian's presence. Katarina darted her emerald eyes towards the archer who widened her's in a silent response to Soraka.

With her brows slanting down her forehead and a fake grin, Katarina spoke loud enough so that they both could hear. "I was just leaving."

She left Ashe and walked to the door keeping her head high and her green eyes vilely trailing the Starcaller's timid gaze enough to shift her willingly out the way of the door in fear and respect. Ashe kept her hand to her sides but one idly reached toward Katarina but then clenched and retreated back into place.

The Noxian exited quickly due to the tense air that existed on the other side of the door. She heard faint whispers and then silence as she walked further away. The box, she pondered about while the faint sounds of the Institute halls faded away. It was familiar. It was like those back at the hospital where the Ionians and supports wasted their time attending to the champions that were wounded grievously even after a match. It was the ones she remembered that the supports used to carry their supplies. A thought crossed Katarina's mind that made her halt by her door realizing that she was already to the indecent door of her room. Was Ashe injured?


	6. One shot, two shots, three!

The bar brimmed with people as usual during business hours, much to Katarina's liking. She sat in her original place at the center with two seats to both of her unoccupied. She saw the other champions talk loud, some amongst themselves, others not talking at all. Their faces were all written with different moods and some which she couldn't identify. She let out a little scoff. Not like she would care about their problems anyway. She took her fingers from the rim of the thin glass and shifted them to the bottom and slipped the handle in between them. Curled up in her own small space and back turned she raised the glass to her lips and sipped the sweet drink leaving a trace of white foam for a mustache.

A napkin appeared held by a perfectly manicured hand in front of her. Green eyes met with Sarah's own and she took the napkin and wiped her mouth then set it down under the glass after folding it. A big, strong man walked up to the bar next to the assassin while holding his large belt with a hand and the using the other to grab the attention of the Bounty Hunter. The man looked familiar she thought, then she remembered the other day in that match while her eyes scanned his persona. Braum? Yes..that's his name, Heart of the Freljord.

She turned back around and fixed him up a good sized beer in a cup that could fit a head inside of it. He took it carefully making sure he wouldn't spill any of it on the clean counter top and handed her two gold pieces from the average five for a huge gallon like that. He said his thanks and went over to the table where the other Freljorians were. The tribe of Avarosa all huddled together in a circle with a few other friends too.

Katarina scrunched up her nose and turned away and back towards her glass trying to ignore the laughs and jokes of the group behind her. It wasn't working out so well as she thought. Their voices rung about the whole bar even drowning out the other quieter champions there. The Noxian adjusted her collar to allow some cool air to pass through to her neck but was only met by warm air. There was so many people that the place reeked of beer and the air heavy with drunkenness.

Sarah noticed her struggle with the temperature and reached under the bar cabinet. She took out a fan that she kept from her ship back in Bilgewater. "I know it's not much but it'll do."

The Sinister Blade took it from her and grunted. "Whatever."

She looked around for any onlookers and fanned herself quickly with the thing. Her finger hooked the collar and the fan blew cool air down her back which released all the heat from inside the boiling assassin. Katarina's exhale was caught in the eyes of her partner and as well as the eyes of a familiar face that was quickly hidden amongst the cheery crowd of Freljordians. Sarah then raised her eyebrows in realization that she had something that would cure her friend's heat problem. She reached to the back of her hair with an arm and then tugged out a hair tie.

"I just remembered!" she said with a smile and snatched the fan away. She flicked it closed and twirled the fan between two fingers before putting it back where it came from. "Sorry about that, I should have thought sooner."

"You think so?" Katarina replied giving the pirate hunter and glowering eye.

Sarah bit her bottom lip and looked down while backing away from the awkward situation. She grabbed the towel she had resting on her shoulder and went to the end of the bar table to attend to a customer.

The Noxian looked at the hair tie which had a strand of Sarah's bright red hair still on it. She pinched her fingers and removed it, throwing it onto the floor in a disgusted way. Ugh, she thought and wiped her hand on her pants. Gross... Katarina took the hair tie and with her hands collected all her hair and tied it into a perfectly raised ponytail. She tried to think of the last time she had her hair tied back like this. It recalled memories of her back at Noxus where she trained in the academy. She would have to tie her hair up to allow swifter movement and more focus instead of the distraction of her hair in her face. It was harder back then with her beginning her training but gradually Katarina learned to keep her hair down and never tied it again. It felt strange for her to have her neck exposed, visible for everyone. It bothered the assassin a bit but the refreshing feeling irked her to keep it up.

Her pony tail whipped to and fro while she looked around for any eyes looking at her but she was blind to know that it only brought more attention to her. What's more it brought back the attention of the opposing blue eyes to the red head.

Katarina fiddled with her long hair that was on her shoulder draped in a silky stream of blood.

It made a stark contrast to the snow white beauty that came calmly to her side. The person's slender hand that slid three gold coins on the counter caught the assassin's eye and froze. Sarah turned around after the voice spoke clearly for two beers. Katarina kept low while the elegant Frost Archer stood beside her and eventually making her way onto the seat. The Noxian fought hard not to wander her slightly curious eyes more towards the woman next to her, but she couldn't help it when her hand came into her peripheral vision.

"Here." Ashe spoke, in a sweet voice followed by a sweet smile. She slid the drink over to Katarina's way and it touched her elbow causing her pride to shift it away. The cold beer looked so refreshing and different to her's which was Noxus imported. It foamed perfectly and bubbled so tenderly it was almost too good to look at.

"This is for last night. I wouldn't leave you unrewarded." she smiled and let go of the handle. Sarah hummed in front of them as she was turned around and wiping a few glasses clean. Katarina knew that Sarah was glad she wasn't looking at her friend in the eye or else would have come to face more deadly daggers than her Death Lotus could send. Giving Sarah a scoff she took the beer and stared down at its white foamy top taking in the drunkenly sweet scent. It even smelled nice...

Ashe took her part and held it up in salute before taking a sip into the drink leaving the same 'stache. She wiped it off with a swift movement of her tongue which held the assassin's eyes to her lips. Feeling a rush of unknown heat to her face she turned down and took a sip of her drink which she entrusted to be from Sarah.

The only good thing that Katarina felt was the silence between them. Usually there would be someone talking to Sarah while Katarina remained there sunken in her shell, but this time she felt her head rise up a bit more than previous times. They both sat there and took in the atmosphere around them, looking around occasionally to not look weird just sitting there frozen.

Ashe wiped her mouth clean and set her cup down empty which Katarina noticed. She widened her gaze and looked at her own which was still halfway done. How could she hold herself without even looking slightly tipsy? She thought while she drank. Taking in the last few drops she put her cup down. Sarah's arm caught hold of her neck and tore her from her thoughts as well as gaining a surprised look from the archer. The Bounty Hunter had come out from behind the counter and hugged the assassin's head like a harmless zoo keeper with a venomous snake on her shoulders.

As for the archer, the sight was a lot to take in. She along with the rest of the league would know not to treat a Noxian so freely and so bravely as Sarah now. They learn to keep their distance (well away) and respected each and every one of them. But to see this show and Katarina's blushing face was a sight to see.

"You sure know how to hold your liquor, Ashe. How's about teaching a few things?" she purred and leaned into the other woman. Ashes eyes darted from Sarah to Katarina watching the flames flicker in the assassin's eyes before she spoke. "Well, I'm not that good, it's just having a barbarian of a husband I suppose. I just tag along with him while he drinks with his friends."

The laughter coming from the other side of the bar took their attention to the group proving her words true. Ashe let out a silent sigh when her eyes set themselves upon the shoulders the the barbarian king. Sarah watched them all with a cheerful smile but Katarina detected the Frost Archer's brief distress. She turned back and extended her hand towards them and rested her arm on the counter. Shifting her legs crossed she added, "See?"

Sarah acknowledged her words and laughed. "Yeah men can be a bit...like that. Heh, I should know I've had several."

"I believe so." she said lightly and threw her gaze to the side. There was something in the archer's eyes that the Noxian saw, she couldn't identify what it was but it set herself into a darkened state. Ashe's face appeared solemn concealed in an emotionless state but her blue orbs remained softened and away from the emerald venom of her own. Tryndamere sat beside Braum, Gragas, Jax and a few other men and women.

"You know my friend Kat here is a legendary drinker." Sarah said, daring herself to go beyond the Noxian's comfort zone.

Katarina clenched her jaw at the sudden topic change and couldn't stop the heat on her face that shone a bright red hue to her cheeks. Her eyes widened slightly and her muscles tensed as the bounty hunter kept on pressing more. Sarah was always the one to blurt out unnecessary information that didn't need to be spoken out and it always stressed Katarina to the point where she was literally going to choke her. Ashe took it all in, nodding her head repeatedly and trying to understand her. She went on and on about nonsense whist the frost archer continued to stare ate her then her eyes slipped down to Katarina's own which were already there. The contact itself was brief, but it tingled in the assassin's chest in a flurry of ice. Ashe's eyes were very much like her arrows; piercing her straight to her core with such vigorous force it was hard to break free from their icy prison. Mustering up strength, she turned away again with a light blush that was hard to cease. Sarah's voice returned to her hearing and puzzled her a bit upon realizing it went away and came back.

"So then she took it and chugged it all down in one go then burped so loud that you can hear it from the Institute's doors!" she snorted and laughed. A few looks were seen from the other champions from Sarah's obnoxious laugh while she continued to giggle holding her sides. Luckily for the both of them Sarah made her way back to her place behind the counter. 'Where she belongs...' Katarina grudgingly thought.

Ashe laughed to herself and held her hand to her mouth. Her shoulders moved in unison to her breaths then returned to their fashion before she spoke. "That's certainly...something. Tryndamere once drank 7 beers in one go and had not lost consciousness compared to Gragas. I can only do 3."

Sarah nodded and set her chin to her palm. Her smile stood out from Katarina's scowl which still held its place even after she had returned back. "Impressive. You know, Katarina can drink 10 shots without losing it. I've seen it myself! She beat my record and some of the other Noxians too."

" _That_  is impressive." she said giving Katarina a warm smile. The self concerned Noxian was almost tempted to return the smile but shrouded it with a silent glare. It proved countless times that this glare would avert the eyes of every victim it countered, even Sarah had to negate her vision. It bounced off like her dagger to Yasuo's wind wall. "Makes me want to have another."

She knew that smirk. It was a 'oh really?' smirk. One that the assassin was familiar with. A devious grin crept up to the Bounty Hunter's lips and the words slipped smoothly keeping the same scheming plot along with the tone. "Sure thing. Kat, you want one too?"

Venomous green eyes squinted at the queen's. She knew Ashe was plotting something with a twinkle in her eyes, one that she noticed in anyone who wanted a challenge. "I'll take a shot of whiskey."

"Make that two, please." came the expected response. Sarah had the bottle in hand and seeing the sparks darting back and forth bit her lip and held onto it then poured the two shot glasses that were thrust in front of her, both empty. Ashe and Katarina had turned their swivel stools towards each other and never broke eye contact and they continued to consume the bubbly alcohol. Ashe had uncrossed her legs and now sat with her kneed together and heels on the footrest whilst Katarina had her legs outstretched and an arm resting on the bar.

"So," started Sarah growing more excited. "Winner gets to do what the other person wishes."

"You're on." Katarina grinned slyly. Ashe nodded respectfully with a cunning gaze.

3, 4, 5 and the both of them were still going on strong.  _Did Ashe come here just to challenge me?_  thought Katarina taking in a deep breath and chugging down the mouthful of whiskey.  _She made a big mistake._

The whiskey she had taken into her mouth so sweetly a few minutes ago had started to turn towards the lower end of the scale. Katarina wasn't sure if Ashe had started to feel the same or not given the calm face and the swift intakes. It wasn't before long that the both of them were going to fall, but the Noxian wasn't going down with a hard fight.

Sarah watched them both intently as Katarina struggled to remain upright as Ashe took in her 10th shot fiercely. She gingerly took the shot into her trembling hand and took the bitter liquid onto her numb tongue. She shuttered as she felt the drink seep down her throat and scrunched up her face sourly. "Had enoughhh  _Kattt?_ "

Hearing the words come into her head a few moments later after lifting her head from the comfort of her arm she spoke in her most confident voice, "Never!"

She took the drink roughly causing it to spill on the table and herself. She didn't notice the wetness dripping down her breasts but the drops were caught by a finger and pulled to a pair of luscious chilled lips. The assassin looked dumbfounded by the touch but only squinted at the blurred figure and continued to drink the final drops. Ashe held her composure quite well but started to slip away and found it hard to keep her hear clear.

She blinked several times to erase the dizziness. Sarah handed them both their 12th shot and waited for the first one to fall. Her eyes leaning more towards Katarina. The Noxian caught sight of this a minute after and only slurred her words which her partner could barely understand. Ashe was the same.

Katarina couldn't falter. She had to beat this challenger in her own game. She took the cup with all her remaining strength and took the death drink to her lips. It seemed for an eternity for her because she couldn't find the drink anywhere. Nor could she see anymore. Her hearing sucked and all the voices and noises of the tavern faded into a silent hum. It was a serenity she knew but couldn't place a finger to. That is, till the sun's unwelcoming light flooded her eyes.


	7. Attack on Kat

_"Uhhh..."_  groaned The Sinister Blade. Her hands outstretched themselves from their resting place and wandered for the hard surface of the bar but only ruffled under cream colored sheets. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the extreme brightness of the sun's awakening light and she squinted until her iris's fully (or partially) saw her surroundings. Her first guess was that she was dead or back home in Noxus but she was incorrect and found herself in the discomfort of her room in the Institute of War.

She sluggishly lifted herself upright and brushed her red hair from her face with her fingers. Katarina looked to her clock and saw the time. 10:36 a.m. She thought for a moment before reality hit her head like a train. Her instant reflex was her hand to her forehead and she groaned even louder at the extreme headache that cursed her temples. She tore the sheets from herself and trekked the short way away to the right foot of her bed and shut the blinds to block the annoying light. She wondered who or what opened them. Katarina was never much of a day person so her blinds always remained closed and emitted any light from entering into the comfort that the darkness brought.

She reached for her blade which was laid out on the bed behind her and her senses now fully sharpened, took hold of the sword and caught the sound of keys that led to the front door. She stalked herself to the back of the door and heard the keys jingling and one finding its way into the lock. She shifted to the wall behind the door and prepared herself for the worst to the enemy and was about to attack the person when she caught sight of the familiar other red head enter into the darker space. She shut the door and sighed then walked to the window and opened the blinds once more.

 _'Of course. It had to be Sarah,'_  Katarina eye rolled and lowered her weapon. Her adrenaline ceased and the immense pain of the headache flashed again and her hand gripped both the hilt of her weapon as well as her head.

"Oh there you are!" Sarah said after she had looked up and found her friend next to the door. She saw the runed sword in hand and Katarina rubbing her temple and knew what went on and with a smile, joked. "You can lose the weapon, I'm not a Demacian."

"Very funny. How did I get here?" the Noxian scoffed, becoming more stressed with the pain.

"Well. The way you got here was quite the sight. I had to have Braum Help carry you along with Ashe who passed out after you did. He was willing to comply and took you and Ashe on his shoulders and carried the both of you to your rooms. After he set you down on your bed, I made sure you were tucked in and looked after."

Katarina nodded. She wasn't to pleased with the part of Braum putting his dirty hands on her nor the fact she passed out. Sarah didn't notice her distraught look and simply shrugged off the common stern look the assassin often bore. She re-sheathed her sword back and closed the blinds again causing her accomplice a snort.

"I want it dark. Don't you dare try to change it again." Katarina warned. Sarah tugged her lip but obeyed. "Why are you here now? Don't you have a match or something scheduled?"

The Bounty Hunter shook her head and placed her hands on her hips and gave Katarina a toothy smile. "Nope."

The Noxian squinted her eyes as she recognized the tone escalating to a squeak of excitement. "Then what."

"You missy have a date with the queen."

"A what?!"

"Yeah! Sorry to tell you this, but I'm afraid you lost the bet last night and so Ashe won by five minutes. It's remarkable how she can hold her liquor."

Katarina's headache kicked back in even harder when her neck hairs stood up. Her mind went into a frenzy while she searched for Sarah's exact meaning by the word 'date'. The only hope she had for the meaning of the word was that Sarah was never quite clear about what she meant most of the time and exaggerated most of the things she says (to Katarina's comfort).

"What do you mean by 'date'?" The Noxian demanded.

Sarah smiled which parried the deepening anger arising within the assassin. She wished she hadn't let go of her sword. Now she was beginning to feel a bit betrayed. Had her partner set her up?

"Well I met up with Ashe this morning in the dining hall -by the way you missed breakfast- and since she won the bet she wanted to meet you by the Institute's plaza. She seemed pretty happy about it so I think it is a date. She didn't want to say what she has in store for you, but she didn't have her bow with her so you're safe from any incoming arrows!" Sarah said followed with a laugh.

Katarina could not deal with the pain of her temples anymore and so she went into her bathroom which was down a short hall towards the far end of the perpendicular wall. Sarah watched her move past her and she followed her to the door and leaned against the frame whilst Katarina washed her face with cold water. At least some refreshment from the hangover.

"How many drinks did I have?" she asked clenching the sides of the sink. The Noxian focused herself on last night, but could not recall much that happened afterwards. Sarah counted with her fingers now heading to the second set of fingers.

"Hrm...about thirteen? I forgot but I know you broke your last record and Ashe beat you." she said.

Katarina didn't want to display it but she was about to throw up and felt the disgusting bile rise up in her throat. Before she did she shoved Sarah out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut before sinking down into the toilet.

* * *

 

The sun shone brightly and illuminated the brick ground with tiny shoots of weeds sprouting amongst the cracks. The cloud-less sky was in the most perfect shade of blue and the temperature was expected with the atmosphere outside to be hot. Katarina was at least thankful it wasn't humid out but shifted about in her short jacket due to the discomfort of the heat. Her hands gripped themselves without the appearance of her famous duo blades but she idly agreed with Sarah about not needing them. As much as she was confident enough on her own, she lacked the determination without her swords. She carried a whole weapon rack of ither weapons such as throwing knives strapped to her thighs and daggers sheathed on her back and waist but given her attachment to the blades, she could admit she was...unprotected.

Her boots kicked a rock away from her way and she looked around for the archer which was supposed to be here and not embarrass the assassin with searching for her everywhere. She didn't even want to be there in the first place but she had to be pushed out the door without breakfast along with the recovery of a disastrous hangover.

The beaming sun's heat concealed its warmth within Katarina's inappropriate attire. Dark brown leather wasn't a perfect choice for this outing which made the Sinister Blade even more uncomfortable. She quickly made way into the shade of the huge plaza that was coming to be closer in front. Katarina looked at the vast architecture of the open building which led her green eyes to travel up along the enclosed space of the roof. Each of the tall pillars branched off to the ribcage of the long dome ceiling that contained stained glass of all the city-states of Valoran.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the silky voice said which caught the Noxian off-guard. Her hand found the hilt of her blade in a flash and she whipped herself around. The tip of her blade was an inch away from Ashe's nose and her surprised eyes found their way to the deep green of the assassin's.

Katarina's sharpened gaze filed upon the familiar face of the frost archer who's icy blue orbs were fixed on the blade's sharp tip. The Noxian lowered her runed sword and tucked it in to the leather strapped on her back.

"It's fine." she said.

Ashe adjusted herself from the surprise and noticed the assassin looking up towards the ceiling. She wandered about searching for her home, which was nowhere to be seen amongst the vast majority of states, but Ashe tugged her sleeve and pointed to the back of the redhead who pulled her arm away. The reddish colors of Noxus shone like the blood it spilled and crept a grin to Katarina's face. She admired the stained glass, her emblem of her city-state, the regal figure which was her father as well as her home in the giant mansion in the heart of the city.

Ashe was more so focused to the north of the ceiling rather than the west. Her tribe, the Avarosan, was in the springtime forest part of the tundra and underneath the tyranny of the mountains which housed the other tribes of Sejuani and Lissandra. There in the colored glass she saw her ancestor Avarosa wielding the very same bow the queen was equipped with. Even though the glass was inanimate, the bow still held that lively appearance and sparkled like crystal. Katarina averted herself from the incoming gaze of the archer who's blue eyes rested upon the burdened shoulders of the Noxian.

"How did you sleep? I bet you had just a bad hangover as I had." she said, adding a bit of guilt in her tone. "I should have not surpassed my limit and allow you to exceed yours as well. I'm sorry, Katarina."

"I don't need sorry's. I hardly even felt a thing this morning." the Noxian lied.

"Oh, well, that is something. I would suspect you to have felt sick too. You did have a lot of drinks and according to my knowledge you went over your limit to the maximum." Ashe chuckled a little bit with a hand to her mouth which gave a hardened look from Katarina's green eyes.

"I can handle myself."

Ashe breathed in and switched something she held onto with her other hand. Katarina's attention was focused on the item she carried. It was a basket, woven with thatch, covered in a dark blue cloth. The embroidery design on the edges of the cloth were identical to Ashe's attire. The item was heavy and she guessed correctly as the Freljordian's grasp tightened around the handle.

Her thoughts were subconsciously spoken aloud, yet again. "What's that?"

"It's a basket." she smiled and extended it out a bit.

Katarina eyed her then the item in her hands suspiciously and stepped back. Her hand went to her shoulder but remembering her missing weapons played it off with a neck rub. "I know what it is, what's in it?" she huffed annoyingly.

"Lunch."

Past the Institute plaza was several parks representing the important city-states of the champions. The Ionian park, adorned with vibrantly colored trees and pagoda sculptures, was the first they passed through along the stone path. The summer like weather then changed to a cooler place with a royal touch. The grass was cut short and not a flaw was seen..except her. Her teeth grit and her head blackened in a shroud of deep feelings she couldn't identify. They plagued her mind and her thoughts made way into her the outer shell as a pain. The winglike symbol of the Demacians were at every corner and the stone statues of the great leaders, one to whom blood was drawn from her very hand, burned her with his cold stare. She walked with a quicker pace and lowered her head so concealed in her mind that the cool body of the archer before her came into close proximity and jolted her hairs up on her neck. Ashe didn't notice and continued to walk forward, entranced by the wonderful sights and not having a single doubt in her mind.

From what seemed to be an eternity, Katarina trekked up the hill slightly exhausted from the hike. Ashe on the other hand was on her toes and sat elegantly down after the had sprawled out the dark blue blanket. It was cooler up here, the assassin thought when a crisp chilled breeze swept through her red hair with a few leaves from the tree beside them. Katarina's nose breathed in the fresh smells of the lawn which was -by the smell of it- cut only a few hours ago. The farthest park of them all, (and the highest) was the Freljord side. It set atop several high hills and plateaus with the twisted ancient patterns of the three tribes skirting on the path they walked. Here the air was cooler and the wind and trees gave off a frosted feeling when approached. It was more like a place kissed by Autumn and the few trees that inhabited the area reflected in an array of gold and red.

Her attention wavered to the items that were being pulled from the basket and set out onto the blanket. Several pieces of bread, slices of ham, cheese and jars of mustard and mayonnaise were spread out in an orderly fashion. The Sinister Blade, who was still standing was gestured to come sit by the queen who had finished laying out all the food items.

"I'm not hungry." she said rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. Her stomach had immediately retorted her words with a huge growl that was so loud it was a lion. Ashe chuckled as the Noxian turned away with her cheeks red like her hair.

Ashe had begun to speak after Katarina sat down in her casual tone. She took a butter knife from a rolled up napkin which the Noxian tensed at the sight of it. She knew it wouldn't do much damage, so she prepared herself for anything about to happen. Ashe set the roll of silverware down beside her then took the mayonnaise and mustard jars into hand with the knife pressed in her palm. "I don't know whether you like this or this so you can make your own sandwich. Oh and here's a napkin just in case."

Katarina was hesitant. She didn't know what any of this was. Why she was handed a knife and two jars she did not know, nor she had any idea of what it could be. Cautiously, she took hold of the items, knife first then jars. Ashe had looked away to grab a few more things from the basket whilst the assassin scanned the objects.

"What is this." she questioned without taking her eyes off of them.

"That's mayonnaise," Ashe answered pointing towards the white jar then to the yellow. "and that's mustard."

"What is it for?" she asked. Her voice had shifted from her usual stern voice to a more interested one.

"It's to put on your sandwich...do you know what that is?" Ashe raised her brow and watched Katarina. She looked at the dumbfounded expression the assassin bore on her face, one that was never seen before by her or anyone. It was like a child's response to an unknown thing with their eyes full of curiosity and wonder.

The other woman shook her head. Ashe reached for the items and prepared the sandwich in front of Katarina. Her green eyes were glued to her movements and the knife, and Ashe smiled slightly by this new person.

Ashe placed the perfectly made sandwich on a red plate and handed it to the assassin who was still suspicious.

"I didn't poison it you know, you watched me do it." Ashe joked.

"I hope not." she warned. It was unlike any food she had ever seen. Fed on a diet of scraps of meat and of the dried vegetables she could scavenge on her missions in Noxus. The food she had hardly grown accustomed to in the Institute was nothing like this, but to the frost archer would seem like an everyday thing. Her ways had strangely brought Katarina's guard down which was odd that her senses were at peace. She still held her position and mind in order but her muscles relaxed and she could actually breathe.

A red flag that would have waved itself at this moment never came and she defied all odds when she accepted the food given to her. She was beginning to doubt that the archer was a threat to her. Her blue eyes were tranquil and her actions justified her ways as calm, centered and friendly. Katarina took a small bite of the food and the taste opened doors to explore. It was actually delicious she thought as she went for the next bite. Ashe was busy preparing the rest of the food but that all faded away the lore she consumed her food. The taste was light and fresh, the meat was certainly fresh and this so called 'mayonnaise' was different but complimented the other ingredients.

Katarina sucked on her fingers of the small traces of mayo that were on them and she was handed another item in a transparent box. She was handed a fork and without even questioning anything began eating the food. More like inhaling it. She took the diced food and found that it was potato in some sort of sauce that was utterly delicious and then to finalize the meal, Ashe and Katarina clinked chilled bottles of beer. The Noxian was now satisfied and displayed it resting n the base of the huge oak tree that shaded them both from the scorching sun. Ashe sat modestly with her legs tucked in beside her and with an arm crutching her weight. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and folded it then set it aside to the two plates with crumbs and sauce.

"What did you call that thing again? A sand..."

"Sandwich." Ashe finished then added, "The second thing was a potato salad. They have them back in the Institute you know."

Katarina took a sip of beer which swished around in her mouth before she swallowed. "I don't really eat the food here."

The Freljorian gave her a questioning look which was expected of her. Everyone ate the food there, all except her. Few times such as the one previous but never regularly.

"I don't trust them. They just give you whatever and you can't see what they do."

Ashe's lips pursed. "They mean no harm. Even if they did they would be arrested and tried."

"People aren't particularly friendly towards people like me. Even towards Noxians." she said negatively.

"I doubt it." the other woman smiled.

"Of course you would. The whole world kisses your ass because you're a queen. You get treated well or else. What would you know about it." she spat. Ashe's smile crumbled into a twisted frown. She was obviously hurt but what did the assassin care? It was the truth.

The archer lowered her eyes and tried to say something but failed. She was silent. A very painful feeling ached the assassin's chest. Her face had no say in it, but the pain was unbearable then more she saw Ashe. The solemn expression that she made was beginning to concern Katarina and now she was starting to question whether or not she had hurt her.

As if Ashe had read her mind, Katarina looked into her eyes which were a brilliant blue highlighted by tears. They didn't fall, but remained there and her eyes were slightly swollen.

"You're right. I don't know about it. In fact, I hardly know anything at all. I'm sorry."

"No." Katarina halted. "Don't be sorry. I didn't...exactly mean it that much. Just...just forget it."

The queen quickly nodded and shielded her face with her hood, and the Sinister Blade slowly drooped the corners of her mouth. What was this feeling? More like what was the thing...that was... was crawling up her leg!

The Noxian shrieked so loud it startled both the frost archer and the creature that hid behind her. Katarina almost fell over and forgot what she was even thinking as the righted herself and was armed with two fists. Another climbed onto of her head and one more peeked its beady black eyes from behind the basket. "What the hell are these things?!" Katarina said trying to shake them off her.

Their large tongues came in contact with her skin and quickly lapped up the mayonnaise and greeted her with smiles. Her face scrunched up into an even more desperately irritated face as she tried to banish the furry creatures. More and more of them appeared and set their little wet kisses on the Sinister Blade.

Ashe wiped her eyes and tried not to laugh but the deadly assassin Noxus was known for was being attacked by a bunch of Freljord's harmless animals. She took the one that was fidgeting atop the redhead's hair and ruffled it up even more till it got off. The creature's furry white body and tine little horns snuggled into Ashe's arms and she stroked its head while the fuzzball purred with content. "They're poros!"

"Poros?"

Ashe let out a small laugh and let the poro escape her care and run along the grass towards the others. "Come on, don't act like you never seen them! Haven't you done a match in the Howling Abyss?"

Remembering vague thoughts about the harsh winter, howling of the wind and rough climates, Katarina did remember something moving about the stormy weather of the Freljord. Nothing except her teammates ever came close to her but she was sure that there was something lurking about the place. "I have. I never see them around though. I just go there and win and that's all."

Ashe frowned a bit and responded back to Katarina's edge. "Maybe if you lost some of that tough exterior you have they would approach you. You intrigue them but scare them a bit. Smile more, you're more pretty that way."

Heat arose too quickly for the Sinister Blade to respond to her body's faster pace. Her only option was to look away, away from the vibrant blue orbs that were set upon her. Her hand came up to her flawless lips and Ashe giggled while the assassin could not make up a more stupid face on her. She didn't know whether to laugh, panic,be mad at or just simply walk away from the whole damn situation.

"See?" she said turning the red head's attention back to her. Ashe smiled wide -too wide- and pointed to her face while Katarina had let go of a small tug on the corner of her lips. Katarina balled her hand into a fist to punch the perfect spot on Ashe's arm but halted herself. She wasn't like a Noxian. Not like Talon, Darius or even her sister who had tough skin. Hers...was smooth and delicate by the looks of it. It looked like porcelain. She uncurled her fist and pushed the archer who was still giggling to the side pressing on her skin lightly before retracting her hand.

It was only a second but the feel of her skin left her fingers tingling. It must have been from the cold touch, she reasoned. What set on her mind though was the gentle touch she gave the Frost Archer. She had never touched someone or even given a light tap towards anyone in her life, dare she say anyone other than her family. It felt different to her and surreal to her nature.

Katarina scoffed at the weakness and loosened herself. "Heh, no not like that." She didn't want to leave Ashe's words in the air so she beamed a smile. They were true, and to prove them a poro slowly made its way a little closer to the Noxian woman's legs. It shied itself from coming to close but Katarina held out her hand for it to smell and the animal retained her scent and smiled while curling close to her. "Like this?"

"Perfect." she said. Ashe suddenly remembered something that took her attention away from the other woman. She reached into the basket and took out a box labeled, 'Poro-Snax.'

Looks like she saw it from somewhere, but she wasn't quite sure. The purple striped box was pointed down and shaken till a few cookies fell onto Ashe's hand. The rustling sound the treats made within the box turned the poro's heads to the archer and some skipped and bounced to her with their tongues hanging off to the side of their mouthed. She set the box back in the basket and away from the hungry eyes of the creatures. "Open your hand." she said and extended hers. Ashe's free hand took Katarina's and brushed against the back of her hand while the other poured the treats. The touch was so...feather like and gentle yet so cold.

"But I don't-"

"Careful, they love those!" Ashe interrupted. The moment was gone and Katarina was still in a daze before she realized the poros were gaining up on her fast. She had to time to react when a hoard of them leapt at her and licked her everywhere. She shrieked again but the sound was parried with the burst out laughter coming from the other woman. Ashe shooed the poros away from Katarina but they left her hair all ruffled up and her clothes with tiny scratches.

"Hahahahaha! Sorry Katarina, I didn't think they would do that!" she said waving her hands. "Umm..." Her flustered face trying to find ways to help out the minimally mauled assassin. While blue eyes searched for words or actions to assist her, Katarina lifted herself up, brushed and smoothed her air and let her breath go with a sigh.

"It's fine, I'm fine." Katarina adjusted her jacket and collar while brushing off some of the dirt that was carried in the poro's paws. "It's just dirt. Not blood."

The sun's hot tyranny had settled down in the horizon and the moon crept up slowly across the vividly painted sky, revealing itself more and more each minute. A gentle wind blew through the grass and rustled the oak tree. After making their way across the parks, most of the champions had gone back to their rooms or stuck around the tavern making Sarah richer with every drink they bought. Katarina walked and talked with Ashe about nothing really, just dumb ideas and things but a impression came into her head while she walked and stirred her suspicion.

"Why did you do all this?" she asked her voice low. Ashe stopped which made Katarina almost bump into her. Red hair hung like a curtain and framed her chiseled face. Her green eyes locked Ashe's in a shared understanding and the queen pursed her lips in silence. She knew it. There was something she wanted.

Ashe pushed back a silk strand of hair from her face and pushed it back into her cowl and her grin vanished. "Well...since I won the bet yesterday and you taught me the other night...I, I wanted to ask you to teach me how to fight."

"Why?" she questioned without thought.

"I want to learn." she responded a bit more clear and regal as she would. "Hand to hand combat is not something I was ever taught and so I would like to learn it from you-"

Katarina scoffed. What, was she some sort of teacher now? Her secrets were only hers, and never to be revealed to anyone. Maybe she wanted secrets...maybe she wanted information...

"If you want information do not come to me for it, Freljorian. I am not someone you want answers from and I will never give them under Noxian orders!" the assassin spat. She cut the archer from what she was saying in an attempt to clean her mind from the tremors of her past records. She was the lost General's daughter, anyone who wanted something to do with the fall of Noxus would want any information that was spoken out of someone they thought was naive enough.

"What? I'm not asking you for any information?" she said concerned. Her crystal blue eyes reflected her own and stared at her into her depths and making her pulse pump faster. Those eyes stared into her abyss and shines some light from the surface. Her expression had not changed, but lines of worry tugged at her lips and crease her thin shaped brows. "Why do you talk such nonsense Katarina?"

"It's not nonsense!" she yelled. Thankfully there wasn't anyone around them to hear, otherwise she would have brought unwanted attention.

"Why would I want that? All I ask is that I would like you to train me."

"People like you always want some way to bring down Noxus with your plans - even with something like this! I'm not stupid Ashe. I know you want something from me and I will kill you if you try." she hissed. Her eyes were venom, her words bit down hard. Every muscle in her body was tense and ready to attack if the Frost Archer had anything to hide. But...she remained the way she was. There was no anger to her gaze and no guilt in her voice. "You are not stupid, I know that. I would never want to vandalize Noxus's property of your own. I just, I want someone to train me well and I went to the best person there is."

Best, huh. Yeah right. "Why don't you go ask Darius or Draven. They'd be happy to teach you Noxus's bloody ways better than me."

Ashe's cheeks flushed a light pink. Her mouth twisted itself into a clumsy grin and she shyly replied, "I've seen you fight and you're nothing like them. You take it as an art not an occupation. I would like to learn your skills from you, not anyone else."

Glances darted. Such words she could not shake that simple. They nailed into her mind. It was true, she did take it as a art. Her father taught her. Katarina rolled her eyes and looked down and continued onward but in the small moment she past the frost archer she said in a low voice, "12."


	8. Fragility

Soft, pale knuckles rasped the old wooden door of the remotely placed training room and echoed a light tap from outside its walls. There was an utter silence for a moment before the door creaked open allowing the access of the Frost Archer into the darkened space before her. She walked with her head low and eyes keen for any signs of her new mentor. Ashe's hood was the only thing protecting her since her bow was left back in her chambers. Milky white hair glowed when moonlight emitted from the upper window. Strands peeked out and rested on her shoulders and swayed from left to right in search of a certain assassin lurking about. There, in the light of the moon was her only sight; darkness shrouded every corner of the lightened space and her skin sensed a sinister presence from behind.

Ashe whipped her head and her eyes fell upon the curvaceous toned figure of the Sinister Blade. She carried all her pride and glory strapped to her back, belt and thighs and they gleamed lethally in the woman's blue eyes. 

Her venomous eyes thinned and looked at Ashe thoroughly thinking of how to teach this different recruit. Though it was only a second, the archer felt her eyes upon her for far too long. Her head suppressed itself instinctively into the cowl but she retorted with a light exhale. Knowing that this was a correct choice, she swallowed her knot and held her head high and felt Katarina's sleek words infiltrate her ears.

"You're here." the assassin spoke, her thoughts wavering among the two words. It dawned on Ashe that the Sinister Blade had doubted her arrival even though she said to meet her at a specific time. 

"Yes, I didn't know where you wanted to meet me, so I came here. I had a feeling you were around." she said with a light smile. Katarina's stern face was unaffected. Her eyes stared but they twinkled like rare gems under the shadow of her brow. The Noxian tugged the side of her mouth to display a quick side grin then grew a stern face.

Katarina turned her head to the training dummies that still kept the previous marking of her knives days before and thought about what she could teach her. Ashe was a smaller, fragile woman with not as much leg or core strength such as herself. Teaching her to kick and punch wouldn't be very good for her since her form looked weak and unable to sustain incoming blows. ' _No..._ she thought. _Ashe would have to be quick and strong. Unless she had her bow...or a weapon..'_

Her red hair whipped behind her and her eyes met back with Ashe's whom waited for a response.

"Let's begin."

\----

Katarina twiddled her knife in hand while Ashe displayed her best fighting stance. It was horrible. The Noxian's emerald eyes scanned her form; feet positioned wrong, torso bent slightly forward, arms barely covering the face, even fists poorly clenched. The only decency the archer has was a determined attitude. Ashe immediately followed command and did the best that she could, but it wasn't enough.

The assassin cocked her head and thought.  _'How to do this...'_

Ashe felt Katarina's foot hook itself around her ankle and drag it to her front and positioned her left foot behind her. Ashe almost fell over by the sudden imbalance of her feet and almost fell over. Luckily, Katarina caught her firmly and held her shoulders. "Keep your balance." she said before letting her loose. She stood beside the queen, observing her bodily movements. The queen struggled to maintain herself due to the newly placed footing. Ashe adjusted for a minute and regained her balance but then as she exhaled after a long battle she almost toppled onto the floor again.  
  
Katarina took the spit second and grabbed her by the hand and tugged her back up. Ashe's powdered cheeks burned a dark shade of rose, and her eyes watery from embarrassment. Katarina too began to feel warmth creep up to her cheekbones and spread rapidly to her ears. She held Ashe's hand and planted her feet so that she could be a good post to balance with. The Noxian's biceps flexed each time Ashe wobbled out of place but the Frost Archer finally learned to keep still but with her other hand wide to keep herself upright.

Ashe's hand squeezed Katarina's in an attempt to show her what she had accomplished. "How's this?"

"It's better. You can't balance yourself like this?" she asked.

"No, unfortunately. I have never actually stood like this before. It's always an archer's stance for me." Ashe sighed. 

"You'll get used to this as you go along." she said. Katarina brought Ashe's hand she was still holding onto up along with the other and lifted them up just enough so that she covered her face with her arms. She watched Katarina's hands slide from her palm, make way from her knuckles to her fingers and curl them into a fist. She stepped back one and crossed her arms while judging the way Ashe held in place. 

"This is a blocking stance. If someone attacks you without a weapon, you do this to defend your face. If someone were to do this," she paused and instantly went to Ashe's waist to jab her with two fingers. The archer winced at the incoming blow that never came. Katarina's fingers were barely touching her  and the assassin froze her movements for a moment and continued. "...what you would do is block their attack with an elbow and a knee to your stomach. Understand?"

Ashe nodded and breathed in like she had a heart attack or something but showed no sign of fear.  _'She freaked out...,'_  Katarina thought.  _'Huh.'_

Katarina struck her the same way and Ashe flinched yet parried the incoming hand with her elbow. This time it was more of a karate chop to the side, but Ashe learned quickly and avoided it with the same panic.

"Better." 

She struck again, on the opposite side, Ashe gaining more focus and forgetting the fear of the attacks. Five, six, seven, she dodged them, the last one being a smack.

Katarina pulled her hand away and shook the sting of the contact. It was more of an annoyed smack than a self defense way. The queen smirked and pinched her thin white eyebrows deviously. 

"Next step of someone attacks you, aim back at them in their weak spots." 

The red head placed her finger on the Freljordian's slender stomach and poked it causing her to squeak and grab her sides. "This isn't part of the lesson!" she said amidst a red face and a laugh. 

"It's a weak spot!" Katarina said and poked her again.

Ashe shrunk her giggling self away and stepped back as she held her sides. Katarina herself was lightly chuckling at the queen's sensitive self. It felt so warm, the light laughter and blushes.

Recalling herself in her younger years, Katarina too shielded her weak spots from her father's playful touch and gave into herself. Her father's soft smile mirrored her own and his deep forested eyes shined a luscious green. Her heart felt at home back in the old Noxus and deep within the catacombs of the Du Couteau mansion. The smells of the iron, wood and rich leather filtered her senses and the heaviness of her chest lightened when a small smile erupted from within her. Then it crashed.

"Stand up." she ordered and hardened her eyes again. Ashe obeyed and quit her laughter with a cough and clearing of her throat. She looked straight into the eyes of the assassin and awaited the next lesson.

\----

She took the knife that was handed to her. Her thumb ran along its sleek body and stroked the sharp edge. Katarina took it and fiddled with the knife as she watched Ashe use one of her runed daggers on a dummy. The queen stabbed it the first time awkwardly with both hands on the single handle and bent to the left. She taught the archer to use only one hand, and hold it with the blade downward instead of up like a sword. The curve of it, she explained, helped greatly with the precision of each strike and the half crescent shape of the blade aided the damage dealt.

Ashe pursed her lips and stabbed the dummy in the chest, eyes set fully focused on the task. Katarina sat above in the shadows and took the time off from being revealed in the moonlight for too long. Her senses took a rest as well from the teaching and instructing, only listening to the sound of steel against canvas and wood. Occasionally she would hear a small grunt from Ashe who continued the same method for a good ten minutes.

She laid back her head and heaved the old air from her lungs. She did not feel tired, but utterly relaxed by the sound of steel. It was what she grew up with hearing it even from the womb. Normally there would be a multitude of swords and heavy grunts and yells followed by the rough iron edges of their weapons clanking against wood or itself. This overtook the quiet of the large space and the sound bounced off the walls into her sharpened ears.

A few minutes more would complete the twenty she had counted in her head. Ashe below breathed heavily and wiped the tiny droplets of sweat on her forehead. Katarina lifted herself sluggishly up from where she rested and stretched.

"Alright," she said idly before hopping and landing gracefully down. "Take a break." Ashe's hands were already red on the bottom from the hard contact from the blade's handle. She controlled her heavy breathing and stepped back to look at her accomplishment. Katarina as well drew her attention to the archer's work, the stabbings being very deep and profound than when she started.

The assassin knew these strikes to be from the strength of a warrior and to her Ashe had no appearance to be one. Her arms were toned slightly enough to not give away the elegance she carried on her shoulders amidst the sweat and exhales. She swiped some hair that drew forth from her hood and tucked it behind her ear before pausing to catch Katarina looking to her. 

"H-how did I do?" she asked uncertain of her work. The other woman simply nodded. She did not speak, only motioned her head and along with her body moved swiftly to the shoulder of the dummy and placed her hand on the curve of its neck.

Katarina stretched her other freehand and bent slightly over the side and felt the stabbings with her thumb. Bright red hair draped over her face ans she squinted to look better whilst feeling the incurved marks. She had done better, Katarina said mentally and turned back to the awaiting queen.

"Intriguing. Very." she started. Ashe looked a bit confused but kept silent. "Your strokes are definite and powerful." 

Ashe thought for a moment and looked back at her emeralds. She looked silently and understood, but she wanted to know more. "You look like you're strong in your attacks. Give me a punch."

Ashe stiffened her neck. "What?"

"Come on, hit me." Katarina pressed. She stood relaxed but her muscles were tense and ready along with her reflexes. The queen looked surprised that the assassin would ask something so dangerous of her, as well as basic. Hitting the famous Sinister Blade of Noxus wasn't in her list of things to do. She hesitated but mustered up enough courage to throw a punch to the red head's shoulder. At lightning speed Katarina's hand cupped the fist and sent a shock wave from the force through her arm. This make Katarina nod. "You're strong."

"Thank you. It's just the archery, I've been doing it all my life actually." she said under her hood. She covered her face just slightly with the veil of white hair. Katarina noticed a light pink hue heat up on her face in contrast to the Freljordian's pale skin. The moonlight made it glow and reflect the soft beams like freshly fallen snow. 

"How long?" 

The question threw Ashe off so much that she choked on her words. The Noxian hadn't realized just yet the tenderness of her voice that rang out into sound. She sounded foreign and not like who she was, despite her looks which remained the same. Deadly and fierce. 

"Um, well...all my life as far as I know. I was always fascinated by the stories of my tribe and my ancestor and since she had a bow, I wanted one. It was born in me ever since I held the very bow that saved my life. Turns out it was her own." she chuckled. 

"Is it the one you have now?" Katarina asked. She rested herself on the dummy and looked at Ashe with a type of expression the other woman had never seen before. It was curious and calm, like a child who was being told a story. There was no evil in her.

"Yes, it is. I carry it everywhere because I feel like I have Avarosa with me, you know? I know that she's with me and she gave me her bow as a sign." Ashe said softly. 

The Noxian twisted herself around and pulled out a small dagger from the back of her belt. It was a small dagger that appeared handcrafted years ago. It had a worn out leather handle and the steel was rusty and scratched along with a long thin 'S' down the middle. She scanned the weapon no longer than her forearm and rubbed the blade's flat edge to wipe something off of it. Katarina's eyes softened upon revealing the dagger and she was deep within her own thoughts.

She flipped the blade around and held it by the sharp edges extending the handle to Ashe. The queen looked from the weapon to Katarina and she motioned her to take it. She curved her fingers around the light blade and took it into her grasp to look at it. It was indeed old and worn out so much that it might break in two with the next usage. Ashe held it carefully and noticed a small engraving in the hilt that contained the initials 'D.C.'

Before Ashe could ask, Katarina had already answered her questions. "It's my father's dagger. He made it for me when I was very young and when I was training to become what I am now. He gave it to me on my birthday."

Ashe held it close. This weapon had meaning. It had value. She had something so valuable to the Noxian that she had to give it back to her. It wasn't her place to hold or even touch it in that matter. Ashe reached into her arm brace and slid out the throwing knife she had kept since that night. It was still in the same condition that it was in before, only polished. 

The Noxian glued her eyes to the familiar curve and glint of iron that was wrapped inside the thin hands of the Frost Archer. Why would she still have it with her? 

"I really wanted to thank you for that night. It meant a lot to me but this is not mine to keep so it's yours. I kept it clean for you." she handed the knife over but Katarina pushed it away. 

"It's yours. I don't really have much use for it anyway. I do have a ton more."

It wasn't enough for her to back down. "But it's yours! I don't want to hold things that do not belong to me. Please, I insist you take it back." 

Katarina shook her head and sat down on the wood floor and rested her back upon the post that held up the hayloft. "No." she said sternly. "It's  _yours_.  _I_  gave it to you. That's why I threw it in the first place."

"Why?" said Ashe barely audible. Her face lowered to the floor and her snow white bangs concealed her face.

"What did he say to you?" Katarina questioned. The salty cheeks of the mighty Freljordian queen dawned in the assassin's head and she could not forget Ashe's horrified face that one night. It was the only good in her part to break the tension between she and her husband who walked off drunkenly into the crowd and left her in ruins. Ashe would have needed a sign. Something to let her know that  _someone_  was watching and listening.

Ashe kept silent. The question was way too forward, but gave Katarina the vibe that there was something that she did not want to discuss. It was evident that whatever they were discussing there was off. Ashe gripped her skirt and her face had not come back up from facing the floor. Her knuckles were hardened and the navy fabric crumpled beneath her grasp. Her body lightly shivered but she remained silent. 

Katarina felt a tug. She didn't want to see her this way. Ashe shivered and held onto something at least. There was nothing she could do. What did she know about comforting people? What would she do anyway? Katarina knew how to kill, obviously. That was the only thing she knew how to do.

"Sorry." she blurted within mumbles. Ashe looked up only an inch, but just enough to see the tiny silver tears that lined her rounded jaw. Out of all things 'sorry' wasn't one of the first that would come to the Noxian's head. She never used the word, it only showed weakness.

Ashe smiled. Katarina's 'sorry' was soft enough that it was hardly heard to anyone within earshot. The assassin hugged her knees and looked away so that her hair could cover her face. 

"It's alright. Me and him were discussing things that occured earlier that's all. It was not anything that bad." 

"It looked like it. You were going to cry." she stated. There was no lie. Even Ashe couldn't stray away from it. She nodded slowly and pursed her lips into a fine line. 

"Sometimes I get like that. It's my fault anyway, I shouldn't have done what I did to him."

Without a reason, Katarina took the throwing knife that Ashe still held in her hands. The steel was slightly cold but it quickly warmed up with her touch. The Noxian woman raised it to their same eye level and said, "Remember this and you don't have to worry about a thing."

Ashe's tender hands took the hilt of the blade but she rested her hand on Katarina's who held the opposite end. First in the whole time they were there, she finally saw Ashe's face. Her hood had gone back just enough so that she could see her whole face under the dim light. Her hair glowed and illuminated her face with the two sparking blue eyes she had filled with tears.

Ashe was on the verge of breaking. Her gaze hit Katarina with such intensity that she too felt struck by the unknown pain. Her pale lips quivered and her head continued to remain high but a heavy weight she bore was causing her grip to fail. Even the cool touch of her fingers Katarina sensed dying strength and trembled.

The Frost Archer ripped herself violently away from the deep forest within Katarina's look. She got up and turned away and took the knife with her. It cut through the assassin's finger and blood beaded from the opening, but she sucked up the stinging pain and went after her. Why, she didn't know. Taking her arm she tugged the weak archer back and almost caused her to stumble over but quickly caught her by the shoulders.

Her expression had vanished and was completely blank. There were tears flowing down her cheeks and her eyes were brutally swollen. She could not even stand anymore and Katarina held strongly onto her ridiculed with the sudden change of emotion. "Ashe? Ashe??" she said but the archer didn't respond back. Her hands only found their way to Katarina's jacket and clutched it tightly. 

Ashe let herself fall to the floor but Katarina went down with her still holding onto the archer and not letting her fall limply. Ashe trembled and continued to sink lower to the floor. The assassin was wide eyed just watching her. Why the hell was she like this anyway? What could she  _do_?

Ashe whispered something that the assassin did not catch the first time and she said it again, muffled by her sobs. "Get...Soraka...please.."

Katarina couldn't do that. She could not leave Ashe alone here, choking in her own tears from something she didn't even know. "No. What are like this? What's the matter??"

She didn't speak, only shook and held on tighter. Ashe couldn't stay in this position, thought the Noxian and heaved her frail body up from under her arms. She paused to feel the strange tenderness of her hand against her side. It was a bump and Ashe jerked back and screamed. A chilling shock discolored Katarina's face and her fingers trailed her ribcage brushing lightly over the area. It was swollen.

\----

Soraka rubbed her eyes and continued to examine Ashe's body having just been woken up abruptly. The Frost Archer was laid atop of the table that stood in the center of the candle lit room and there were pillows cushioning her head and back. The Starchild reached blindly for some herbal leaves to place onto her side from the large medicine box to her side and held them while she took some gauze and tape to cover up the wounds. 

The Sinister blade sat in a chair behind Soraka and gripped her knees.  _'Why didn't Ashe tell me she was injured? It would have been better for her than to get even more hurt fighting me!'_

"There. That should speed up the healing process. Thank you, Katarina, for bringing her to me."

At long last she stood up. Stretching and nodding to the hoofed woman in front of her, Katarina took a quick glance behind her. Ashe's top was cut from the side and revealed two large bruises that were angrily black and blue and mildly fresh now patched up. Her face was at calm now, and turned slightly away from them. She stirred and blinked with her eyes closed and continued to rest with her arms to her sides. The only difference was that her hood was pulled fully back and uncovered more bruises lining her her neck and the back of her jaw. These were less as severe; only parts were red and others were beginning to clear but were taken care of with arnica and chamomile.

"She asked for you, I only brought her." she clarified. 

The severity of Ashe's wounds led her mind to wander. It was very uncommon that something to that extent would happen to her even with her superiority. This woman was a queen, not even compared to an assassin like herself. There was no way that there would be any danger that would creep up to her unless there was someone trying to kill her or very least she would have fallen down the endless Institute stairs.

"Would you happen to know what caused these?" Katarina asked. She wasn't expecting for Soraka to be specific or even have any knowledge pertaining to the matter. The healer turned to look at her then said behind her shoulder, "No. Unfortunately I do not, but she was in a few matches earlier and she must have forgotten to come to me after."

"These wounds are fresh. You above all people should know that. Am I correct?" she pressed. Something about Soraka made her teeth clench. 

"I do know, but I  _do not_  know what had caused these injuries is all." Katarina thinned her eyes. There was a touch of false certainty in the 'honest' Starcaller's voice and her eyebrow twitched. There was no hiding anything with a Noxian. 

"You do know, don't you." she threatened and found a knife from her thigh strap. Soraka panicked as she saw the sharp weapon come into view. She wasn't a woman of violence unlike Katarina. All the assassin wanted was truth and her curiosity would lead her into the darkest places to find it. 

The door flung open to a presence that Katarina wanted to kill more than a mere healer. His eyes were instantly set upon the sleeping queen and he bowed at the nurse with a certain eye that only the two of them would understand. "Soraka."

"Tryndamere." she spoke with disgust. She planted her feet much more guarded and close to Ashe as he approached them. Soraka ignored Katarina's advances and  all the more the red head took her knife and hid behind her, tight. 

"Katarina. The famous assassin everyone in Noxus talks about. I did not expect  _you_  to be here." he spoke. Daggers glared him down but didn't stop the smile that etched on his face. It wasn't a warm smile to greet his own wife with either. It was one that would accompany anger. 

"My poor wife. Did this assassin do anything to you? You should not be up this hour, especially when someone that dangerous is lurking around." 

Her venomous eyes spat fire and she gripped the knife so tight that it tore through her skin and bled down her knuckles. Anything to rid her from attacking. Pain, misery, anything. He strode to Ashe's side but telling by her eyebrows denting themselves down, she was well aware of his presence. Soraka's ears flattened and drew back when his hand touched her head. He petted her head like a dog and ran his fingers through her silken hair strands till they fell flawlessly back down. "Time to take you back home."

Soraka immediately retorted and halted him from moving any further with a strained voice. "She is in no condition to leave. Do you not see that she is weak and injured? Or are you too blind to see clearly." 

Sourly, he stepped back and thought very carefully. Tryndamere was not too pleased and locked his jaw. It was surprising that he contained himself enough to answer back. Such acts of him were not common since he almost butchered a man a month ago. There was anger boiling deep within him and his iron cold eyes cut the Starchild down sharper than the finest blades in Noxus. "Very well."

His bulky self turned towards the door and upon opening it he said, "I await her tomorrow." and left.

Soraka took a moment to breath and let go of the edge of the table she did not even know she held onto. His footsteps echoed down the hall of the hospital and diminished another moment later. It was all very strange. The healer held her ground but was quite shaken afterward. The endless amount of questions still were left unanswered but the assassin was quite thankful that the stress of the whole scene was finally gone. It still lingered though, the damage of the storm.

The healer turned to Ashe who had begun to cry once more. The queen did not move a muscle and just let them fall onto her perfect hair without hesitation. Soraka took her hand and whispered things to her but she had already given up. 

Ashe felt another presence come to her side and Soraka let go to make room but still kept an eye on the Noxian before gasping at the bloody sight before her. The Freljordian queen turned her head slightly and slitted her eyes to just get the silhouette of the Noxian standing right beside her. The fire that erupted from Katarina's core ceased in charred embers when Ashe's eyes met hers.

The blue of her orbs were shining from the glinting water that continued to pour out. One drop was at the verge of falling as soon as she would blink and a finger stopped it from joining the others. In fact, Katarina did not just stop the tear but the others that followed as well. Ashe pressed her cheek on the back of her hand and closed her eyes feeling the warmth of the touch. 

A single eternity passed and Katarina had never felt so at ease, she did not want it to end. The blood from her other hand soaked it and Soraka quickly pulled her away and frantically found bandages and things to help stop the bleeding among the many curses she said. She sat Katarina only a few feet away from the archer, but their eyes met once more over her shoulder and Ashe finally cracked a small smile since.


	9. Whispers - Part 1

The fog was dim. The scores were set. The field was quiet.

The fog of war concealed parts of the jungle in a shroud of darkness and the lane which she had full crowd control in ceased its fight. The two champions, one with raven hair and a solid stance had just recalled back and the other with armor that shined like the sun killed the mindless minions in lane and picked up each gold piece that fell from its body.

The valiant warrior pinged for M.I.A at the enemies that had disappeared into the jungle not too long ago. Luckily for her team, their adc had not gotten killed, but what had resulted from the most recent fight were dead bodies amidst the open lane. The terrain was uneven and blood from one of the victims who went by the name of Ezreal was face down. His face reflected the amount of pain he bore in his point of death and the metallic feathers marked his killer.

The explorer's blood seeped from his back where in a cluster, all three arrows pierced deep. It went down in a single stream down to the bush Katarina stayed. The base of her shoes got wet and she moved her foot away from the blood and cursed. The sun warrior stopped farming and looked into the bushes alertly. The rustling had caused her to raise the large shield that was strapped to her arm and tighten her hand on the heavy sword she held.

Katarina was not prepared this time.

The pain came quick indeed along with an electrical shock. She had no time to react and the impact flung her violently farther into the fog and away from where she had been. Her body crashed into a rock severing a few ribs and tearing her cheek and jerked several times before the electricity of his Stattik shiv. She came in contact with the hard dirt and mud from the river's edge, and gathering all her strength she rose back up and caught herself with an arm as support. From the side, she saw who was responsible. His shoulder armor clanked and his sword's edge dragged behind him like a heavy weight. On his chest was stripes of red and splatters of other victims. The Noxian spat his name like the blood that came from her mouth. "Tryndamere."

"Hello bitch." he hissed and charged. The barbarian king came with full force and with both hands took his sword and heaved it forward to execute her with a brutal beheading. Already suffering from other major injuries, Katarina was not able to defend herself but threw a knife with grit teeth. It hit right where she wanted it, but unaltered continued his rampage with the hilt of the weapon protruding from his heart.

With a shrill battle cry his weapon circled around him and Katarina exhaled. The rampant pulse that echoed within her bleeding body soothed her. All sounds drowned and the only thing she would recall now was the sensation of her fading heart. The wounds became more agonizing with each moment. Cursing in her mind of her weaknesses she bowed her head in a bitter defeat and held her weapons firmly. There was no one to save her, dare say he.

"Katarina! Run!!" Leona screamed. Shocked, she opened her eyes and saw the Radiant Dawn extend her sword and pierce through the barbarian's body. She distracted him with the combination of the sun's power and stood defensively over the Noxian. Her shield braced the impact of Tryndamere's bulky sword and pushing her shield onto the enemy, she had stunned him immobile. From Leona's amber eyes the assassin saw chance. The tanky warrior gave her a portion of her health back and single shot that if missed, will be the end of both of them. Katarina felt the power return to her and the wounds wove back together ceased the pain just enough so that she could take her dual blades and stick them into Tyndamere's chest. He roared as soon as he regained full control over his body once more and clashed steel with Leona.

Tryndamere's his eyes burned with rage. Oh no, Katarina mouthed as she flung herself off the ground. His skin glowed and fire burned around his core. The barbarian bashed Leona back with a force enough to shift her stance in the dirt but she still held her ground but not for long. She was also running low. The Noxian ran past them to drink a health potion she remembered she bought and carried along with her. Leona held the barbarian off while Katarina healed herself a short way away. The warrior pinged for assistance whilst Katarina threw a dagger but it bounced off of him like it was nothing.

His weapon charged and flashed with charged veins and slashed Leona on the side, electrocuting her and rendered her tense and shaking. A second moment passed and Leona choked on the blood that erupted into her throat. The tip of his heavy blade came through her back and she weakly turned towards the Noxian and gave her a reassuring smile. He pulled it out slowly and the sun warrior's amber eyes screamed the cringing pain of the jagged edges leaving her body. With nothing left Leona dropped her sword with a clank and fell to her knees before rolling her eyes into her head.

Katarina's eyes glanced at Leona's body drop to the ground. Tryndamere mirthlessly smiled and laughed and inhaled deeply which healed a quarter of the major wounds marking his body. The eyes of her savior were lifeless and half open emitting the despair that came with the death. They only shimmered with tears at failing to protect her.

The barbarian wiped his hand on the grimy sword and cleaned the blood onto his chest, adding to the other streaks that had dried. He yanked her runed blades desensitized and dropped them onto the floor. He grinned evilly and his body surrounded itself in shockwaves of crimson after he bashed his sword against Leona's corpse. His gaze was fixed on hers. It said plain and chilling, 'you're next.'

Not unless she got him first. Katarina released her anger rising each second in a shrill scream and vanished in a puff of black smoke right as Tryndamere was about to collide his sword into her again. He looked left and right frantically and didn't find the assassin anywhere. She landed and found her two blades back into her own hands. Katarina grinned. She has won this fight now.

Katarina armed her hands with ten throwing knives and clenched her jaw. "My turn."

She spun her death lotus and with ten speedy knives, dispatched the man and earned the kill.

He fell to the floor and his sword followed suit, flipping in the air and landed straight into his gut. Katarina took her breath. It was a tough fight. Leona wasn't there to witness it, but she would have been pleased with the play. Finally relaxed and standing over his dead body, she spat on it and walked away while sheathing her blades. She was close to the turret and limped out to recall back to the fountain where she could be healed fully and return back to battle.

Katarina walked past the corpse of the valiant sun warrior whos armor still shined with the rays of the sun. Her face was calmer it looked and Katarina went back and knelt beside her. She did fight hard and the Noxian would have gotten killed without her assistance. It was a deed that any Noxian would honor. Katarina took her glove off and with two fingers she carefully shut the eyes of the warrior just in time so that Leona faded into a blue whirlwind, marking her back alive and well a mile away.

Farther away, back within the halls of the Institute where a whole crowd of champions and summoners were located, a warm smile hidden beneath a hood walked away with a lighter step in her gait.

....

"That was such a good game!" Sarah called from across the vast room. Katarina had just stepped off of the teleportation platform on the far side of the building. She moved past a few champions that were just now coming into the next scheduled battle. The one that took her place was the heavens' judicator, Kayle. She flew past Katarina who walked with her hands in her jacket and the angelic warrior greeted her good afternoon. Katarina acknowledged her greeting with a nod and continued on past the other four incoming people.

Each platform was set next to the other in a line and each with a ring of ancient symbols that would glow when they were being summoned into the rift. These illuminated blue, while the other four were set in the other sides of the pentagon shaped structure.

A few armored guards that kept watch of the ongoing commotion eyed her as she walked. They knew her very well, as a Noxian and assassin. The woman kept her gait steady but quickly paced and blocked out their suspicions with the collar of her jacket and the thick veil of her hair. Her clothed were stained in blood, as well as the other four champions whom have already scattered in the crowd. One of the silver helmed men caught up with her and had a spear in his other hand. He went to grab her arm to stop her but sensing the touch Katarina yanked it away from his reach and her elbow knocked him square in the jaw.

Trouble her mind yelled. Several guards immediately saw the aggression and rushed to assist him. He bent over in pain with his hand to his face and. It wasn't that bad, Katarina thought but the guard thought differently and cried out pointing to her, cursing her Noxian self. Katarina began to fume. The other guards held out their spears and were ready to detain her. Shit she spat and looked around her.

The commotion had gathered some spectators who looked confused at the sudden scene. Katarina herself did not know why, she had only pulled her arm away and tapped him with her arm was all. Still, she wasn't willing to submit that easy to them over a stupid man and his weaknesses. The Institute's rulebook said nothing against defending ones' self.

Before a fight issued itself, a golden sword halted Katarina. Seeing this she took her hands off her blades, and the presence of the sun warrior held the guards down. She defensively stepped in front of her and the several guards and with a stern yet gentle face spoke with them. "What is the matter here?"

"This Noxian hit me!" the first man said behind his fellows. He straightened himself and pushed past the others who remained armed with their spears. Leona walked over to the man and saw the red mark that circled the edge of his jaw and looked over to the assassin and questioned her actions with a single look.

She turned back and said, "I am sure she did not mean to harm you, she had only hit you on accident." Leona leaned closer to him and his eyes shimmered with her light.

"If she were really intending to harm you, you would not be alive now. I am sure of that."

Sarah had already appeared herself in Katarina's peripheral vision and her head turned to her. She pointed with her chin at the matter and Katarina shrugged. Leona assured the men with a bow and smile and they left, looking back to the graceful woman in her equal armor.

"I'm sorry for that Katarina, he only wanted to ask you a simple question regarding your attire. See, he is new and just recently entered into the Institute to serve as a guard."

She rolled her eyes and grunted.

Leona frowned but changed the subject seeing the Noxian's troubles. She spoke sincerely to Sarah who bubbly responded back.

"Good afternoon, Sarah. How are you today?"

"I'm doing great! That was a very good match you were in today. I watched it all!"

Leona chuckled. "Yes, it was very good. I can't believe we did so well. Their burst damage was incredible but we managed to plow through each team fight with Baron's buff. Otherwise we would have been in ruin."

Katarina stood there listening. Typically she would stand there tuning out Sarah ramble on about nothing as she adjusted her arm brace or fixed her hair. Her method was working effectively now. The pair began to drift away into deep conversation and Katarina followed them, not staying close enough for other people to know that she was with them. ' _Ugh...fuck you Sarah... If it weren't for that one tavern night I would have killed you for flirting with my crew.'_  Katarina cursed.  _'I swear I'll destroy you one day in the name of Noxu-'_

"Hello!"

The familiar voice interrupted her thought and Katarina whipped her head violently to glare at the person. Standing right in front of her now at eye to nose level was no other than her student. "Ashe?" she questioned.  _'What was she doing here? She had no matches scheduled since the incident a few days ago?'_

"What are you doing here?" she echoed from her mind.

The Frost Archer smiled one of her better smiles. "I came here looking for you. Sarah told me that you were here and she also said to meet her in the mess hall for lunch. I just saw her walk by with Leona. I think she's joining us, too."  

Katarina pushed past her and kept walking on. Eating there was never an option for her. A good snack from one of the shops in the town nearby would be better, or even a hunt in the woods that skirted the Institute would be better than eating the wretched food offered there.

"Katarina...please?" Ashe said following after her. The Noxian's bright red hair swished behind her as she walked stiff necked.

"No." She answered not wanting to slow down.

The queen took her by the hand and pulled her slightly and Katarina, feeling the cold touch yanked it away instinctively. Ashe wasn't going to let it go just yet. "Come on. What's so bad about going to lunch with them?" 

"Everything." she snapped. 

"Oh yeah? Give me three reasons." Ashe retorted. Her pale face wasn't pinched to the center and her charming blue eyes pinned on Katarina's. She expected an answer and the hands on her hips signaled that she wanted it now. The assassin was averting her eyes to something a bit less tense and looked at a guard and a champion walking by. Wait. Katarina crossed her arms and rested her hips at an angle.

"I don't need to tell you shit." 

"Yes you do. You can't just not go for no reason. What are they?" she asked again. Her eyes relaxed but her face still held the stern look to it. Katarina felt heat rush to her cheeks as her emerald eyes looked at Ashe. The Noxian sighed. 

"I don't their company. Sarah annoys me. I hate the Institute food. Are you happy now?" she blurted.

Ashe pulled her head into her hood with wide eyes. She was surprised. Katarina wasn't. It was the truth. She really thought the Bounty Hunter was annoying. Her and her irritating laugh was worst than Lux when she really cackles at something. 

Ashe covered her mouth with a hand and giggled. The red head clenched her fists and hissed at her but blushed harder as the queen began to laugh harder. "Why are you laughing!?" she threatened. It was no use. Ashe tried to contain herself but kept erupting giggles and even tears lined the edge of her eyes while the Noxian stood there frantically in place. 

"That's it? Those are your reasons? Jeeze Katarina, I thought they would be more reasonable!" she said between ceasing laughs and wiped an eye with a finger. "What's so bad about the food here?"

"I just...I don't think it's good." she lied. Ashe raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Sure."

"Ughhh! Come on Ashe! I don't have all fucking day to waste with you asking me questions!" the Sinister Blade said with her hands waving in the air. The other woman frowned. Just as expected of her to do so. She dipped her eyes low and hid her face beneath her white hair. The hood followed the gravity of the tilt and sheltered her head under the crested twilight cowl. 

Katarina looked around. There weren't as many champions as there was a couple of minutes ago. Even the echo of all their voices ceased into small whispers inside the atrium. That was good, at least they didn't stir commotion around them like what happened earlier.

"Ok fine. I just don't think the food here is that safe. It's not that bad, I've had it before but I don't believe that they would just give it to me without it being tampered with."

Ashe did not talk long to understand. Given Katarina's roots and her reputation as an assassin for Noxus, she followed along with the other's insecurities. "I don't believe they would. Just like the rest of the city-states that agreed and signed the contract, the Institute wouldn't allow any harm to come onto any of us regarding our nationalities. If they did then you know whomever is responsible would be prosecuted."

Katarina held the same attitude. Ashe huffed some air and thought then lit up when she came up with an idea.

"Come on, I'll get you the food so then you don't have to worry about a thing. If you want, you can leave us and I'll explain to them that you had stuff to do. How's that?" 

The Noxian slipped a small smile and closed her eyes to take in Ashe's sincerity. It was the kind that would make you think that people never would say or even come across their heads. She agreed finally and said, "Alright, alright. I am a bit starved anyway. But don't expect me to be friendly towards them. I hate company." 

They took steps forward passing the giant stone columns that held the entrance of the atrium. Down the stairs and to the left were their pathways and down the torch lit hallway towards the end was the large double doors to the mess hall. From that corner was yet another hallway much larger than the one they walked in currently and both followed the same footing going down the multitude of steps down to the main hall. Ashe looked forward eyes fixed upon nothing in particular whilst Katarina stared at her reflection on the tiled floor. She only glanced to see what the queen was looking at or even thinking before continuing on.

"Hey, Katarina?" Ashe broke into the silence among them. She looked away from the other woman who didn't even look at her back, only to the cold stone walls of the hallway. "What?"

"When you said that you hate company, does that include our training nights?"

The Noxian didn't give much thought into the simple answer and replied with a hand rubbing her neck, "No, you're the kind of person I don't mind. Others have their certain ways I can't tolerate." 

Ashe lit herself up with a beautiful smile that caused her cheeks to flush and her hand to touch her face. It was good seeing her like that than the regal self she was most of the time. "I think you're nice to be around too." 

Katarina pressed her lips into a fine line and prayed that the heat on her face would go away. It was very uncommon that she would feel it, only when she would fight extra hard till her skin was glistening with sweat. The shorter woman went on and said nothing because she too felt the same discomfort. 

The giant oak double doors that led the opening of the dining hall were wide open and inviting all to enter in. There, inside were more than a dozen rows of long scarred oak tables occupied with all of the League's finest warriors. 

Farther away Katarina saw Sarah wave to them to come over. She was just about ready to leave the site. Being surrounded by people and as well as annoying bystanders, the Noxian was regretting her decision now. She'd much rather be in the haven of the training grounds up in the shafts where it was dark, or in the forest in the trees where she would usually nap in. Ashe took Katarina's hand into her own again and the cool sensation crawled under the assassin's skin. She wanted to draw away from the weird feeling but she remained there leaving her hand limp to be clenched and tugged by the Frost Archer. 

Sarah eyed their hands and then towards Katarina and gave her a smirk before patting the seats in front of her. Leona stood up to greet them and bowed respectively with an arm curving her stomach. The sun warrior took to her seat along with Katarina while Ashe departed off into the line of hungry people by the food bar. The plates they had were full of today's lunch: sliced potatoes seasoned with herbs, steamed carrot and green beans and with the main side that Katarina craved the most, a solid breast and leg of chicken. 

Turns out their meals were untouched. Sarah's green beans and carrots were nearly gone which she probably picked off before they got there. Katarina could tell they were a bit unsettled with impatient faces growing more indulged to the intoxicating smell of freshly cooked poultry. The assassin herself was pretty starved since breakfast.

Her stomach protested loudly and it was no use silencing it until there was something in it.

The Bounty Hunter chatted even more with Leona who remarkably had kept still and patient enough with her for the longest time, Katarina took a slice of potato from her plate. The Radiant Dawn saw this and golden eyes met with green right when the Noxian was opening her jaws to admit the food.

She froze in her position while Leona stared at her before grinning to let her know that this was kept secret from you-know-who. Unless she were to find out which was unlikely to happen with the boatload of a meal she had.

Her gaze snapped at the first thing she saw which happened to be the twilight cowl that peeked snowy locks. She stood their as a stick in the mud in comparison to the several tall and muscular men to her front and back. They offered their spots to her and politely she declined. The men insisted and Ashe refused again. She chose to stand there moving a foot a minute until it was her turn.

Katarina held herself upon the queen and watched as she smiled warmly towards the people who welcomed her with a plate of fresh steamy food. She pointed to another plate and the older woman who attended to her before the others looked a tad confused but shrugged and gave her another plate. A tall, dark skinned man by the name of Lucian appeared beside her grabbing a few napkins and saw that Ashe had trouble with the two full plates. Tossing his thin braids over his shoulder, the Purifier took them into his own hands, setting aside what he was doing and briefly talked with her as she got some drinks. She led him to where they sat and she set down the glasses of water on her side and one to the assassin's right side. Lucian said hello to all of them and finally to Katarina, who wasn't too pleased. 

"Thank you for the help, Lucian! I'll see you around!" she smiled and waved goodbye. He smiled back and jogged back to his place by the concession stand. 

Ashe set down the delicious smelling meal in front of Katarina and knowing her simply smiled as her. There was no need for thank you's as the Frost Archer knew that the assassin never used them. The began to eat silently the first minute so that their stomachs can be satisfied before creating any conversations. Sarah of course started with a statement and followed by Leona they intertwined Ashe into the whole subject. Katarina sat there leaning back in her chair and selected bits of food and ate silently still only picking up few things. 

What was strange to her was that her sister and Talon weren't at their usual table. Other champions, members of Shurima, took over the spot while no other Noxians were spotted. The only one was Riven who chatted alongside Lux in the far corner of the dining hall. It appeared they were quite close and joked, laughed and played with each other.  _"That traitor…"_  Katarina mumbled not knowing her irritation caused her fork to miss the piece of food and it skidded across to Ashe's side.

The queen looked down at the chicken that was almost touching her arm and looked to Katarina who was startled herself. The other two didn't see what went on and carried on their useless conversation without her. Ashe took the food with her fork and motioned that it was hers now with a cheeky grin. A small laugh escaped her and as well as the Noxian who turned away with a hand to her forehead.

"May I join you, Ashe?" they heard behind them. Ashe was the first to turn herself and with a gentle nod she held a seat beside her for her friend. The blue skinned woman curved herself around the chair and scooted in comfortably. The other two greeted her with the exception of Katarina's nod. They all ate comfortably and quite peacefully considering Sarah's wild stories of her and Katarina's adventures in Bilgewater.

The Noxian threw in a short smile every once in a while. Ashe glanced at her a few times too just to be sure that she was comfortable sitting with all of them. Katarina acknowledged one glance with a smile and a cheery squint of her eyes. Ashe mirrored the motion and tried to look attentive but couldn't find it with the Bounty Hunter. It made Katarina chuckle a little. 

The assassin pinched the queen's hood and pulled her close to whisper something in her ear. "Do you want to leave?"

Ashe's partial attention was instantly torn from the group and caught in the deep forest of the other woman's gaze. Katarina was only a few inches away from the archer's face and she caught her scent. _'Frosty,'_  she thought,  _'with a hint of vanilla.'_  Ashe returned herself after quickly glancing to the other three and nodded with a small grin. "Good, 'cause we're going to the barracks."

The smaller woman saw the slight twinkle in Katarina's eye and followed her up and out after they said their goodbyes to the group. The two scurried away from the dining hall, Ashe holding onto Katarina's arm and weary of the spikes from its armor. They constantly bumped into each other since they were laughing and tripping over their own feet for no reason.

 


	10. Whispers - Part 2

Each punch remained consistent in accuracy and strength. One foot in front of the other, arms stretched straight, fists splitting the air in front. Katarina stood on the sidelines and observed each punch thrown right in front of her nose. Her hands held themselves behind her back and her footing parallel like a general. 

Since a week's training, Ashe had become stronger. It was noticeable in the way she moved as she continued to punch the air. Her form had grown much more solid and her head remained low but her eyes sparkled with confidence hidden under her hood. She was almost as confident as the Noxian herself. 

Katarina halted one of Ashe's blows with her palm, cupping her fist. Ashe gave her a confused look while the other woman shifted her hand to wrap it around the queens'. "You're getting stronger." 

Ashe returned a small side smile and loosened her shoulders. She righted herself as she stretched and nodded. "Well, I do have a good teacher."

"I'm not the best, but I'm glad you're finally catching up." 

Ashe flashed a grin. "Me too."

Katarina let go of her hand and the warmth from it vanished. She really didn't want to let go if it but knew it would be weird of her to keep the contact. The Noxian cracked her back and walked over to the bench that was near the perched swords and bows on a rack beside it. She took the two upright water bottles and tossed one to Ashe who caught it nicely in her hands. "Thank you." she mouthed and unscrewed the cap. Katarina hummed and took in gulps of the refreshing water.

\------

The two of them first stopped by the Freljord section to retrieve a change of clothes. Since they always wore their traditional attire, Ashe stopped by her room to change into something more comfortable. Katarina looked around the hallways while she led them to the room and whipped out a key to insert in the lock. She turned her head after the door swung open and the assassin faced herself back from the unfamiliar surroundings. "You can come in if you want, I'm just going to grab a few things first."

Ashe left the door open and walked in and carried on with her business. Katarina curiously poked her head from the doorway and followed the queen with her eyes. She stopped in front of a large dresser that was against the wall in a similar design as her room. The room was fairly large, maybe the largest of all the dorms with a crystal chandelier hanging in the center of the room and a large bed that was on a circular stage one step higher from the polished white floor. There was a very crisp and clear smell as though the room had not a speck of dust. She began to wonder if standing here was not a good idea and drifted off farther to the doorway.

Katarina's gaze wandered everywhere from the tiles to the matching white walls. There was still so much to take in, she had never been such a room before. Truly it was fit for a queen. Ashe pulled out a few clothes and walked into a door-less opening to the side of her dresser. It was concealed in a white curtain but was then pulled back and spit apart and flicked on the light. The shelves and horizontal poles from the inside showed it to be a closet and must have kept a lot of clothes and accessories since it was twice the size of her bathroom.

"Is this fine?" Ashe called from inside and tugged the back of her new attire. She took the hood from the light jacket she wore but then thought for a moment before letting it go. She took in a breath and adjusted the collar of the jacket instead.

Katarina hesitated to step closer from where she stood at the door. The Frost Archer waited for a reply and huffed ten seconds later. She strutted out only to knock into the Noxian. Ashe's forehead collided against Katarina's lips and sent her holding her mouth in pain. "Oh my gosh Kat! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it!" 

The Sinister Blade fought to hold back the pain stricken tears that were on the edges of her eyes. She held her mouth tight with both hands and grunted from the inside at the throbbing of her bottom lip. Ashe frantically tried to do something but instead she panicked and trailed after Katarina who paced and extended her hands to try and grab hold of the other woman's. The Noxian went over to the mirror on her dresser and let go. It wasn't too bad, although her lip was now beet red and a tad bit swollen. 

"Ahhhh..." voiced Ashe, looking at Katarina. She sucked air through her teeth and glanced at the taller woman who parted her lips.  She was genuinely concerned for her and the Noxian can tell that she was upset with herself about it. "I'm very sorry Kat..." 

Katarina dismissed it off with a fan of her hand and massaged her jaw. "No, no, I'm alright. I've had way worse and by far this is just a scratch." 

Ashe continued to frown but the Noxian changed subject when she saw what she wore. She appeared much more lively now and she could see her sapphire eyes shimmer in the light of the room. The Freljordian's expression was still concerned and she flickered her attention from Katarina's gaze to her lip which was slowly coming back to life from the hard impact. But then the realization of what had just been said to her came back to life. 

"What did you call me?" she questioned. She was sure the archer said what she thought she said. 

"Um..I'm sorr-" 

Katarina interrupted her and peppered her tone with a hint of anger. "What did you call me." 

"Kat.." Ashe said shyly. She regretted not putting her hood on.

The assassin grinned smugly. She liked pushing people to their limits. In fact she loved it. There was nothing more rewarding then having control over a situation and having the other person's actions pushed by another's notions. Katarina quickly discovered that Ashe was missing her hood. The queen shrunk her head down to her shoulders and looked the other way. She clutched her arm rubbing it and the Noxian couldn't help but to deviously smile and bring her eyes back up with a little push to her shoulder. 

"I'm just kidding. I don't mind it." she chuckled. Damn, she really got Ashe good. The Frost Archer blushed and turned around to hide her red scrunched up face.

"That wasn't funny." she said sternly. It was the first time Katarina had seen her this serious. There was not a single lighthearted emotion dwindling in her eyes but only the hard stare she gave the assassin when she turned back around to face her. 

"It was kinda funny." she smirked. Ashe didn't budge. Katarina sighed and rubbed her neck knowing this wasn't going anywhere. "The clothes you're wearing are fine for today. You can bring your bow if you want and I can get a few water bottles on the way there."

Ashe changed her expression and lightly smiled because she won the conversation. "Ok, that sounds good." She turned tail and her snowy white hair whisked itself along. She went to her bed and climbed atop it, then removed the ancient ice bow from a golden glass box that rested on a silk pillow. She carefully took it out and brushed it off carefully, then closed the box gently and retreated off taking her quiver from the side of the bed post. Katarina already had her weapons and double checked her dual swords strapped on her back along with the knives on her body.

"Let's go." 

\----

Ashe came to where Katarina stood and sat down on the bench. They both drank for a moment then the queen set her bottle down beside her and crossed her legs. "You're a very good teacher, Katari- I mean,  _Kat_."

The Noxian scoffed adding a bit of humor. She didn't question Ashe's words but learned to roll with them like she did with Sarah."Sure I am. I beat your ass in here everyday till you go home with your knuckles blue and your legs giving out."

"That usually means you're a good teacher though. I'm serious, you really do know how to wear people out with your drill sergeant act."

Katarina shook her head and crossed her arms. She rested her elbows on her parted knees. "Well Noxians are tough and the only way you can survive in this world is with a strict push. I'm guessing where you're from they never taught you about that."

"They did, it's just that I never followed it. I don't believe that you need only strength to survive. If you want to talk about strength, you should see Sejuani about that."

"I don't know, she seems a bit  _cold_ , wouldn't you agree?" said the assassin. Ashe drew the corners of her lips back into a smile and laughed. Her body mimicked the sounds coming from within her fragile form, shifting with every giggle. Seeing her smile lightened Katarina's shoulders and she quickly took the same smile. Ashe's deep blue eyes met with hers and chuckled equally. They were as deep as the ocean itself, so full of life Katarina would never be able to discover in a lifetime. 

"You're ridiculous!" she said pushing Katarina's shoulder lightly. 

"Hey now, it's very true. Most Freljordian people I have met are very cold. Except you."

Ashe shook her head and suppressed a thought that ran through her head. "Thank you, I suppose? Other than Riven, I have never met another Noxian such as yourself. Most are bloodthirsty warmongers."

Katarina laughed dryly. "Yeah, that's Noxus for you." Her eyes focused on a blade she now had in her hand. "...just a place of war."

"Do you agree with it?"

There stood a long silence between them. Ashe remained steady and waited for a response while Katarina struggled. She struggled because she didn't know. She knew of her purpose, what she was born to do and what she chose to do, but to think if she were like Swain or Darius who were hungry for war...she would not want to be apart of it. Having made up her mind, she spoke tautly.

"I am only given orders. It is not a matter of if I agree with it or not. I serve in the military under Noxian rule and I honestly have no say in it. I chose this way because I wanted to follow my father's path and because I loved it more than anything. I could have had anything I wanted but instead I went with the way of the blade. If I were ever given a voice, then I wouldn't know what to say to you." 

"Oh, I see." Ashe said with her hopes dying down. She must have not expected such an answer or she must have assumed another.

"Did you want another answer?" Katarina probed. 

"No," her tone sparked. "I just didn't think you didn't have a say in what you do. You  _are_  the General's daughter."

Katarina's eyes drooped to the floor. Her father, once proudly named General Du Couteau now hushedly spoken as deceased, threatened pain to plague her mind and heart. "I  _was_  the General's daughter. Cassiopeia was too once our house was taken over by Swain and the Black Rose. Most of my father's documents and files he kept in his office were burned by them after Swain was promoted as the next general. Talon recovered some of them after I had heard from one of our servants. Once he 'moved in' he overtook the space in the house until we were finally forced out."

"Did Swain force you out?" Ashe asked softly. 

"No, but I knew he wanted us gone. I personally couldn't deal with the Black Rose staying there. They always glared at me as if I was going to try and kill them, but everyone there knew I wanted to. Those imprudent bitches watched my every move and observed what I did, my conversations, everything. I was not even comfortable in my own house and when I found one in my room one day, I left. I didn't know what he was looking for but it did not matter because I had to just leave."

Ashe nodded and motioned her to continue. She sat with her knees together and her hands folded atop one another in her lap. It was obvious that Ashe was listening carefully. Her expression showed it. The queen's eyes were set upon what Katarina was saying but retained composure. Feeling the depth of the Frost Archer's sight, Katarina's tension lessened and the pain swallowed itself back into dormancy.

"When I left, Sarah took me in. I don't want to say it was sudden, but it was. I stayed in my ship for a few nights after I had docked in Bilgewater's port. She had let me stay in her home upstairs at her bar for a few months till I could find another place to call home. It was then I found the League, after she had told me and came here personally."

Katarina found herself wallowing in her thoughts for far too long. The blurred image of her father stung her eyes and threatened the moisture from them to escape down her cheeks. Her eyebrows pinched together and she fought viciously to control the fire within her but it would not cease and the sensation crawled under her skin. She was torn. Bruised. Alone. A cool touch overtook her senses and her instincts pulled her away. She resisted the urge and even yelled to stop, pushing against the feeling with her bare hands. She didn't need anyone. She could go on. She was the Sinister Blade. 

Ashe had no hesitation. Katarina thrashed in her arms and was almost successful in escaping before her thin fingers gripped the leather straps behind the assassin's back. The Noxian's face was solemn and dull, and her eyes swollen. The queen pulled her into a tight embrace and took all the heat onto herself. Katarina was sweating and her heart pounded against her chest. She grit her teeth and choked on her dry sobs. 

The assassin did not accept the embrace. In fact, she wanted to escape it. It was undeserving that the queen of such high nobility would want to take her in at such a weak state. It  _was_  weakness. She should not cry, should not feel, only kill and be as sharp as the steel she wielded. Ashe's hands softly stroked Katarina's locks. They glided and combed through the thick strands whilst her other hand found her jaw and cupped it tenderly.

The fighting stopped, only deep breaths and shutters followed. The assassin's head rested upon the archer's chest and she closely listened to the patters of her heartbeat. The became matched several minutes later and several more was went Ashe felt the desperate clinging on the back of her jacket. 

Katarina suck down from Ashe's chest to her belly and then her lap. Why was she like this? Why couldn't she resist? Why did Ashe stay?

"You don't have to stay. You can go now." she spoke barely audible.

Ashe pulled back a stray hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She wiped a a tear from her own eye and rested back on the wall behind her and pet Katarina's head slowly. "I'll stay here all night if I have to. I'm not going to leave you like this." 

The Noxian curled her arms under her and lifted herself up. Ashe pouted but subdued and watched Katarina brush herself off and wipe her eye on her sleeve. Ashe took out a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed the assassin's face to remove the rest of the dried up streaks. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there for me that night. Think of this as returning the favor." she smiled warmly. 

"It was no favor, Ashe." Katarina refuted and lowered her emerald eyes. Saying the archer's name was cool to her tongue and strange to say.  "I did what I had to do. You were in pain so I took you to Soraka. This is no favorable thing...you didn't have to do this."

"I want to. It's never good to hold things in for so long. I have, and it's very damaging. Do not keep things inside your heart, Katari- i'm sorry I mean Kat." Ashe giggled to herself. "I have to get used to that."

The Sinister Blade shined a smile at the other woman's mistake and shook her head down. It would sure take time getting used to, not many people call her that. "It's fine, don't worry." 

Before the thought left from the back of her mind, Katarina noticed a small bruise hidden by silken strands flowing down Ashe's front. The Frost Archer sat ridged as the Noxian's hand moved to her neck and brushed away the hair to take a closer look. She never moved but watched Katarina observe the wound with her crystal blue orbs bound to her green ones. The Noxian flicked her attention to the wound and even touched it which made Ashe tremble slightly at the pain that ran across her skin. Katarina glanced then focused back at the bruise.

"How did this happen?" she asked, her lips thinned and emeralds hardened. 

Ashe twitched her eye. She shifted herself away and strained her neck away from Katarina's fingers brushing along her flesh. The Noxian caught hold of her arm, firmly but gently. Ashe turned her gaze to the door. It wasn't far away, she could quickly bound to it but that thought was instantly crossed out. Katarina saw her fear shimmer as they locked eyes. They began to water slightly and through the depths of ice, Katarina saw herself. The assassin used a different approach and asked in a soft spoken attempt to soothe Ashe's fear. "Who did this to you?"

She gulped but plunged into the darkness. "Tryndamere."

Katarina widened her eyes upon his name.  _I knew it. I just knew it._ It just didn't make sense.

"How- why? Why would he? Why would he want to hurt someone like you?"

"I..I don't know Kat." she said between sniffles. The tears were peeking out. "I just don't know. It happened a while ago when we still lived in the Freljord, about a year after we got married. He first started yelling at me and cursing your people, then as years went by it got worse and now he just lashes out on me."

Irritation boiled deep within Katarina's core. "That's very strange."

"No it's not. He's a rage filled man. It's who he is."

"That gives him no justification to harm you. If he was ever in his right mind he wouldn't lay a finger on you." 

Ashe sighed deep enough to retain the pain. "I have no say in what he does. If I do wrong, he punishes me. It's always been that way."

Katarina understood. They weren't very apart it seemed. However Ashe handled this (if she could) it wasn't working. She obviously suffered from these and what's worse was that she fought almost everyday in matches. She would become bloody and bruised with gaping cuts and wounds that would allow an excuse for these injuries.

"Does the League know?" she asked. Ashe shook her head roughly. 

"No. They do not need to know of this! If any word of this breaks out...I don't know where i'll be. I would probably be dead and Tryndamere would have my blood on his hands for sure." 

The Noxian woman stood up. She paced and held her chin, thinking. She was a queen. She shouldn't live like this. Not like the life Katarina herself lived. She shouldn't have to feel pain. Tryndamere's wry smile filled her mind with rage. She had no remorse for the intolerable, no wonder why he wanted her dead. He saw her with his wife and must have wanted revenge. Ashe held her arms and looked down. Her snowy white hair followed and the rays of the evening sun illuminated the room in a warm golden hue. They shined bright enough so that the other bruises that lined her neck became more visible. So there were more...

"I won't allow this. Whatever grudge he has against you I won't allow it. You can't live like this Ashe, not anymore."

Ashe sunk her eyelids and tugged a corner of her mouth. She let go and brought her hands down to the bench. "I wish I was free like you. I wish I could just leave and everything would be better. I can't, you know that. I'm married to him and plus I have the whole Freljord on my back."

Katarina's hands found their way to her hips. Ashe was right. The irritation grew more but it struggled to keep ablaze. Ashe's blue orbs shone like rare crystals and were staring right at her so pain stricken. The struggle wouldn't be worth it, but Ashe was more than overjoyed that someone cared. It showed, and the radiance of that appreciation and gentleness that the hood-less archer displayed was more than enough. Katarina wanted to assist her. It was more that a need. She had to. 

"I'll get you free, somehow." she said firmly. Ashe was unsure but there was no stopping Katarina when she had her mind set on her target. 

"Noxian promise." she whispered with a grin. 


	11. Into the Abyss

_1 minute._

Strutting across the dimly lit walkway, Katarina exhaled as she stepped into the glass cylinder awaiting for her. The launch plate bounced as she placed her foot in then the glass door slid shut when she was inside. The walls did nothing to accent the same concrete floors. It was all dim as it would be in a launch room a few minutes before slaughter. She watched the red LED clock from the corner of the room countdown from :49 seconds. It was a tight space, but she would soon exit it once she made it into the lesser map of the four selected. The other two champions, like her, were armed and ready to fight once more. They were right beside her and only spaced by a wall on each side.

_30 seconds._

Her grip surrounded the hilt of her two blades slowly taking them out from their resting place. Gears began to shift underneath her and fresh oxygen blew into the tube from a small pipe that was drilled into the side of the portal. They clicked and snapped in place with each bolt and nut they connected to. Katarina stared into her own reflection. This match was not one that she would have to worry about anyway. She was summoned to battle against bots, which were mindless robots programmed under a bunch of codes. Although this would be a simple thing for her, they were intermediate. These bots were designed to destroy everything in their path.

_10 seconds._

The floor shifted gears and cranked the ascension. One foot right in front of the other, Katarina lifted her eyes and held her weapons by her side. Her green eyes caught sight of the speck of light at the end of the dark tunnel that surrounded her. It grew brighter and her pupils dilated from the stark light of the fountain's runes upon rising into the arena.

_0 seconds._

A chilling breeze whisked past the three champions. The Noxian woman blinked her eyes several times to emit the light back into her eyes. The female announcer's voice rung out marking the 30 second timer of the two altars that would unlock.

"They are out there," said a stocky man by the name of Twisted Fate. He looked around at the dark atmosphere and pursed his lips. "Best not to feed them."

The other retorted his statement and rolled her piercing aqua eyes. She held her gun and grabbed her item from the store and retreated off the fountain, looking towards him and glancing at Katarina for a brief second. Her accented prissy voice was enough to sock a punch to her jaw if the assassin wasn't having a good day. "I'll go secure the altars then head top with you. The Noxian can take bot alone."

The both of them saw her exit the fountain with her violet skirt swaying side to side. Katarina looked to Twisted Fate, and the man just shook his head with both eyebrows raised high from the sheriff's orders. "Caitlyn's sure had a good morning. Just ping when you need a stun." She nodded once as he ran off following the raven haired woman. Katarina sneered off her remark with daggers to the sheriff's back.

The Shadow Isles was enough to give off the haunting aura that the bots had. Katarina has fought these robots countless times but each time with their unnatural beady eyes staring directly at her. At times when she wasn't careful enough, they would target her mercilessly and impale her till she was too beaten to continue fighting in the lane. Health potions would burn away with the constant use of them. She had brought only one with a tome to amplify her abilities.

She kept her weapons ready and stalked down the dreary lane. An eternally thick, unnatural fog blanketed the arena and faint screams and voices echoed the spirits of the undead. She went into a bush and awaited for the minions to come. Katarina didn't know who her opponents were. They were never revealed to them but were only left to discover at first blood. This was the one of the many differences that bots had against actual champions. The announcer's voice spoke again and the minions were released.

They came down the lane in single file as always and cleared the fog for vision and clarity. She watched them as they immediately began striking one another, blue against purple, aimlessly killing for no reason. The Noxian threw a dagger and it bounced off to five of them and above their heads she marked them. She came out from the brush and hit it with her sword and earned the gold that dropped from each disappearing minion. She cleared the wave and continued on, keeping a close eye to her opponent's arrival.

She didn't see them and just shrugged as her next ability was allowed to be in use. She chose to spin instead of shunpo, in order to clear the waves and get ahead of the bot. Katarina looked around as she went into the turret's range following after her wave. She pinged for M.I.A and pressed on but something tugged her to retreat. It was too quiet.

When her last minion was killed she quickly stepped out from the turret's range as soon as it targeted her. Luckily she wasn't struck, because then it would add up to the small burns that a few of the minions threw at her when she was in a bad location. Katarina walked off the pain but was introduced to a searing pain on her back. She turned around to get hit by a third arrow and a fourth that dug deep into her thigh. Katarina screamed but the sound was drowned out by the howls of the wind.

\---

_10 seconds was all it took. 3 seconds to be killed, and the rest to be resurrected. All was pitch black, the sounds of the Shadow Isles were faint and slowly coming back into hearing, a heartbeat pounding in her chest. Katarina hated death. It was the thing she avoided most but her sluggish actions got her killed at first blood. If she were more attentive and listened to her instincts she would have still been alive._

\---

The Noxian landed on her feet then fell to her knees after a rough landing onto the fountain. She rose and brushed her cleaned clothing off fully healed and with her mind cleared. It was back to fighting. Caitlyn teleported back beside her and landed square on her feet and twirled her large rifle to her side. She eyed the assassin pissed at her for causing the enemy to get first blood. As much as Katarina wanted to tell her off and do something, she would have done the same for any other champion that had done what she did. She could only get back up and go fight again while praying to earn a kill.

Katarina made her way into the brush once more and kept a watchful eye this time. She was very far behind now, having killed only a dozen minions and the bot making her way towards her third dozen. Wait a minute. Looking clearly, Katarina squinted and horror overtook her. The bot with long silken locks covered beneath a hood dappled lightly in her own blood, shot another arrow from her endless supply.

"Ashe..." her lips mumbled.

This was not the Ashe she knew. The real Frost Archer was miles away from the scene, set into a temporary coma deep within the Institute's chambers. Katarina was never fond of such activities and when she was given the option in the League's contract, she declined careless of their opposition.

\---

_The summoners allowed the royal Freljordian to enter through the open doors into a room where five people were waiting for her. They stood by the metal table and there was a lamp that shone directly onto the silver top. Wires were connected to a machine beside it, and beeped periodically._

_They all bowed and the magenta cloaked man spoke and gestured towards the table, "Welcome Ashe, we will begin the procedure. Please have a seat over here."_

_The queen did not hesitate and followed his hand. She was nervous although she has done this a vast number of times. Maybe because she hadn't done it in a while or it was because she knew of her opponents selected. While the summoners attended to their equipment and readied it for her use, her icy blue orbs wandered to the screen that was hung on the wall in the room. It was one of the few lit items in the dull room and it displayed in three rectangular images the faces of their opponents loading into the glass cases that would lift them into the arena._

_The familiar red haired Noxian she had grown fond of walked fearlessly into it and looked up from inside the portal. She was determined, Ashe thought, determined to kill as always. It was her job after all._

_A woman raised a mask over Ashe's head to bring to her mouth and the archer took it and adjusted it onto her face. The gas was released in a cool temperature and mixed in well enough with the oxygen from her lungs to hide the weary odor. However Ashe instead breathed in through her teeth and stared up the ceiling as she was brought down by gentle and forced hands. The gas would soon succumb her into a deep sleep and then would allow the cloning to begin. This was the way bots were designed to live in the arena. This was a decision many years later regretted because the process was a bit intimidating._

_A man placed a wired crown on her head after removing her hood. The Frost Archer shrunk away from their hands and silently panicked without the comfort of her hood. She was exposed to the world and she hated it._

_Ashe felt the cold metal on her equally cool skin and she shuttered at the touch of the silver coins pressed against her forehead. Once each small coin was placed evenly, another summoner that stood by the machine started the process and typed codes onto a keypad. Small bolts of electricity surged into her brain and Ashe bit her tongue and held still. Her slender hands gripped the edges of the table firmly and her eyes shut themselves tight._

_It was soon she would fall into a deep sleep. It was soon that they would have control over her unconscious body. It was soon she would be cloned as a monster programmed to kill. One of the summoners saw her struggle and turned the knob just a little more and made gas flow heavily into the mask._

_Ashe tilted her head towards the screen again and glanced at her friend a moment before her eyes fluttered shut and the assassin ascending into battle._

\---

Katarina avoided every time the bot got near her. She wasn't wanting to let this Ashe kill her again after she loosely gave it first blood. The thing stared at each minion it shot and paced back and forth before hitting another one and getting the gold from it. Ashe's warm, blue eyes were replaced with sunken black ones with a bright red dot in the center. That alone made the bots look terrifying parallel to their awkward movement and never missing skill shots. This Ashe had no heart, there wasn't even one in it to begin with.

The Noxian frowned and continued to farm and tried to push the thought out of her mind. It was throwing her off completely and she missed a few farm. She was still behind this bot's score and she would have to apply much more effort and strategy in order to come back up. The bot moved in quickly and landed a sharp arrow into her shoulder. It wasn't that deep and she yanked it out with some flesh and tears stinging her eyes. She reached for a health potion but was struck by another arrow.  _'Dammit Katarina, Get a hold of yourself! Do something!'_

Katarina took out a dagger and aimed it for the Freljordian. There was a strong feeling of remorse within her that caused her to voluntarily lower her weapon. She had to at least strike the bot and make its health low enough to return back. That's it, right? She wouldn't have to kill it then, just lower its health and let it leave? Katarina saw an opportunity as the bot mindlessly stalked closer to her unaware she was even around. The assassin was at length with it again but drew closer with a throwing knife in between her fingers. The feeling came again and washed over her like a huge wave as she was about to throw it. It was not her will to be done here, she reminded herself, and threw the knife into the Ashe bot's chest.

It reacted suddenly and snapped its head to Katarina and in its black eyes the red pupils flashed and were locked to her. Terror shrouded her judgment and Katarina shunpo'd away to a minion behind her and escaped the volley of arrows shot at her. She felt them whistle in her ear and she quickly dodged each one. The bot scurried towards her menacingly and armed the familiar crystalline bow with another arrow glittering with ice. She shot it and it flew to Katarina's face and she moved away from it and let strike into her calf. Ashe attacked without hesitation. She had no feeling. It overtook her and through the screen face she bore, Katarina's expression of agony reflected upon it and the assassin clutched her leg and dragged herself into the jungle.

She was hit with another arrow to her back. It slowed her down immensely and with each forcing step, ice covered the ground she walked on. Arrow after arrow flew swiftly into her and with each cry it dug deeper. Blood trailed onto the jungle floor like bread crumbs and the bot followed after its kill.

She fell after an arrow pierced her flesh again. She clawed the ground and ran but it was unbearable. She let out a ping several times desperately calling for her teammates. She ran towards the glowing floating health plus located in the center of the arena. The Noxian looked back to see the bot running swiftly after her with an arrow drawn and Katarina turned and yanked the arrow from her leg. It hurt yes, but she wasn't willing to die again. She had to live. She reached for the health and it healed some of her wounds, but it wasn't enough to bypass death.

Katarina was dangerously low in health and only her adrenaline kept her alive. She has lost so much blood which was seen everywhere. A sharp jab was felt under her clothing and as she ran deeper into the jungle, her hand found the wound and felt warm blood oozing out.

 _'Fuck...'_  she grunted.

She came to a dead end.

Another arrow flew into her. Two onto her legs. The bot was ridding her of escape. It had grown too smart.

Katarina was pelted with enough arrows and yanked each one out with a choking cry. Never before had she felt so much pain in such a long time. She heard distant cries but were dispelled by the ruffle of the bushes. Out came Ashe, armed with a huge arrow and pointed straight at her heart.

\---

_Their data was blurred. One of the summoners that sat in the center of a horseshoe shaped desk pressed every button on the teal keyboard but the codes on the screen were glitching in a frenzy of numbers and letters. The systems were shutting down, one exclaimed while another jogged towards the man running the systems. He honestly didn't know what to do, this kind of thing never happened before for years. One of the summoners who stood on the borders of the rest all huddled over the screen noticed…soft sniffles._

_"Hey, you guys...come over here." she said, and motioned for them to come towards the table. They saw the Frost Archer underneath all their equipment and saw her tears streaming down her face. Her body was slowly grieving in her sleep, which was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to be completely unconscious. The League's finest summoners argued over this amongst themselves and left the attention from Ashe to dispute about her behavior._

\---

Katarina braced for the final blow. She clamped her eyelids shut and awaited her death. There was nothing she could do, but to be dead with her back against a wall. But the blow never came. Something was wrong, she sensed. The Noxian dared to open her eyes but what was before her shocked her.

The clone stopped. It stopped with its fingers still curled on the heavy string of the bow with its ultimate seething with ice and magic. The arrowhead was pointed directly at her and was pulled back with such a force that Ashe bot's arm shook. It held the position and this was Katarina's escape. This was her chance to run.

Instead, she forgot all about her pain and bleeding body. Her eyes were on the bot's face that seemed to bloom a brighter cream than before. Tears fled from their place at the edge of its eyes. The bot was... crying?

The deadly vibe the bot carried faded into one that Katarina was familiar with. What was strange was it would do such a thing. By now she would have died and sprang back on the fountain, but the bot was frozen.

She looked into its eyes which retained most of the moisture and before Katarina could do anything, it drew back its ultimate and vanished into the fog.

Twisted Fate ran towards the Noxian who was still watching the last place the bot was before it fled. She replayed the scene over and over again and the image of the bot actually crying never went away. The bot had real human tears. Hardly anything that strange would happen in a bot game unless there was something that brought Ashe's conscience back. Only then would her bot have anything to do with her own self. The summoners would have been panicking and completely ridiculed by the situation. It was all too strange...

The man knelt before Katarina and held her shoulders, giving her a good shake to wake her from her trance. Caitlyn stood behind him and looked around for another bot that might come their way. She turned towards the Noxian and scanned her wounded body. Her expression was written with regret.

"Katarina! Wake up! What the hell happened here? Can you hear me?" he said looking for a response.

She lifted her weary green eyes to his and just a look was all they needed. Their teammate was in pain and it was unbearable. Twisted Fate pulled the Noxian into his arms and lifted her up. He didn't even bother to care about her blood on his spotless clothing but held her to his chest and jogged forward towards base. Caitlyn followed suit and watched for any signs of danger.

\---

She was awakened in a rush. The heat of battle confused her as she looked closer to her surroundings. She was back in the launch rooms and lifted her head from the narrow bench she laid on. All was quiet except for the breathing of the two champions sitting by her. Caitlyn's rifle was neatly rested upright beside her on the wall that was to their backs. Both their expressions were anxiously awaiting news and perked when Katarina sat up.

She rubbed her shoulder expecting the wound to be there but she was back to her somewhat healthy self. Twisted Fate looked to her and spoke. "Finally you're awake. It's been an hour since you've been sleepin'. Even the summoners thought you were glitching too."

She sidestepped his joke. "What do you mean by glitching?"

"One of the bots malfunctioned and disrupted the match. It was probably a big deal since the match was canceled shortly after we all arrived back at the fountain. The other bots retreated before we could kill them and I'm sure yours had done the same." Caitlyn said. Her eyes were fixed onto no particular object but kept herself focused on what was being said. Katarina raised her eyebrows. "It was canceled?"

Twisted Fate nodded. "Yep. I heard one of the champions got ill during the procedure and had to be sent out. Cait, you know about bots. Do you know why?"

The sheriff tapped her lips. "I don't suppose it would be anything minor, many had bad cases before but it wouldn't lead to destroying a whole match. It would have to be something internal...like something that had to do with emotions. A clone wouldn't become affected unless the champion was to awaken."

Katarina nodded. "I see. What are we going to do?"

The Card Master shrugged. Caitlyn crossed her legs and pinched her lips together. "I guess we will wait for further instruction or news."

"I'm not staying. Whatever problems the League has is definitely not mine to know. A battle less is fine enough for me." she spoke sourly. Her fingers twiddled in the air as she finished her words and turned towards the exit. She left them in their thoughts and slammed the door behind her.

\---

The halls of the Institute were emptier than usual. It was no surprise since most of the champions were attending to their tasks within the League. Katarina yawned and rubbed her shoulder. It had been a long day today, and the way the sun was up it must have been a quarter after 2.

The Noxian woman made her way into the Great Hall which was a larger walkway cut in half by the Grand Staircase that lead up to the other faction's dormitories and lounges. The two staircases cascaded and circled around a giant fountain. It flowed with water and each statue's carved edge the water sprinkled down onto the base. It was a beautiful work of art, much better than the others that were around the Institute.

She climbed up the stairs skipping a step and turned to the right into a hall before her faction's side. She heard a pair of footsteps coming and veered to the side of the wall subconsciously.

"Katarina! Oh good I've found you!" she heard a familiar voice say. She looked behind her and saw Soraka looking hurried with a large satchel slung on her side.

"Oh, hello." Katarina said plainly. The hooved woman frowned for a moment before making her thoughts turn into words. She spoke calmly but picked up the pace and looked around for anyone.

"I was looking for you but thank goodness you were around here. I have something for you to deliver to Ashe." said Soraka as she reached into her bag. She pulled out a simple small white box with nothing else on it. By the way she held it, it was fragile. "Could you give this to her please? I'm awfully busy today and I have no time to take this to her so I thought that you could deliver it."

Katarina took the box from her hand and looked over it. It had nothing written on it, but was a bit dented because the box was made out of a thick paper. She lifted it up with ease and it weighed less than a pound.

"What's in the box?" the Noxian questioned.

"You'll see once she opens it." Soraka began walking back the way she came and called out before disappearing into the other hall. "I'm sorry Katarina, I'll see you later dear!"

With that she left. The Noxian kind of wanted to peek in but pushed back her curiosity and instead went out in search for the Frost Archer. Walking to her original destination, she looked at the paper that was clipped to her door since this morning. She took it down and checked the list of matches that were scheduled for her for the whole week. The section that had the date for today listed only two matches, one of which she had already done. Katarina pocketed the schedule and headed down to her new destination, if she could remember where it was exactly.

The Freljord's side of the Institute was much livelier than her own. The walls were composed of light blues and whites as opposed to her faction's darker shades of crimson. The air was also very crisp and chilled like winter. The walkway was very royal and was carpeted with few furniture. A console table that was adorned with a beautiful bouquet and curving dark metal stood between each door to decrease the long space of each room. It was a fitting idea, and added a nice touch to the area. She continued down the hallways she was in before and searched for the only larger door that led into the queen's chambers.

"Tryndamere please!" a shaking voice spoke. Ashe had her hands to the wall as the barbarian solidly gripped her hair. He yanked it down so that she sunk lower than him, despite their height difference.

Tryndamere growled. "You know exactly what you did. Did you think you could get away with it?"

Ashe begun to cry. She didn't know what exactly happened. She was in her room doing the only thing that she did often: paperwork. She was only writing documents and responding to various letters that came directly from the Freljord by her messenger hawk. She was quietly writing when all of a sudden her husband burst through the door with a roar that spooked the bird as well as her. They quarreled before they took it outside where hopefully Ashe could get someone to end this. Anyone.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she pleaded. His grip was very strong and her hair felt like it was going to be ripped off any second. The pain stung her eyes and teared up around the borders. They spilled out and moistened her face.

"You bitch!" he yelled and raised his hand. Rage filled his eyes and fire consumed his chest. "You can't get away from me!"

The sting seared across her flesh and left a mark that was quite visible. Her venomous green eyes never left the barbarians, only for a split second as he struck his hand across her face. Katarina felt Ashe quiver behind her. This only made the assassin more angry. She stood her ground and armed herself with her famed runed blade, and her free hand behind her back locked with Ashe's. She tried to speak but words couldn't form. The tears choked the archer and she refrained from trying anymore.

There were no words to be said. Not with Tryndamere. In his eyes were anger, the anger of someone knowing. They knew of what he did and Katarina would certainly chew him up and spit him out.

"Don't you dare touch her." her voice said in a deep growl. Her eyes murdered his and her jaw clenched more each moment he stood there. He finally sneered and took his place and left, but dragged the hate along with him. Katarina stayed there till he vanished and watched until he was long gone. She turned to Ashe who had held herself weakly up against the wall. The Noxian's voice coaxed into a completely different tone and soothed the queen's fear with a few words. She didn't let go of Ashe's hand mostly because she gripped it tight and held it with both hands but even then she wouldn't have wanted to. Ashe needed her there and even the slightest touch would have such a meaning.

"Kat…your face..." she said shakily. The red head's face was as colored as her own hair. It left a painful mark but Katarina shrugged cause it would go away soon. The sting didn't hurt so much when Ashe stroked her cheek with her cool fingers. It felt nice actually. She took the archer's hand gently pulled it away from her face. "I'll be fine. Are you alright?"

Ashe thought before she said anything. She wouldn't be fine especially since Tryndamere was just there but she decided not to mention that. The queen nodded but that didn't make the other woman believe her. Katarina pulled Ashe towards the table with the box after she had helped the broken woman pick herself up again and wiped her tears. Ashe was a bit confused when Katarina handed her the box and let one hand go from hers to take the box into it.

"What is this Kat?" she said with a little more strength.

The Noxian shrugged, "I don't know, but Soraka gave it to me. She said she was busy so she gave it to me to deliver."

Ashe cracked a smile and looked down at the box. She took it into both hands now, leaving Katarina's. She frowned lightly but shook it off and the assassin watched her look at it. Ashe knew what it was just by scanning the object.

She looked back to where Tryndamere was last seen and took the assassin by the hand again and pulled her into her room. On the corner were several papers spread one on top of the other and a white quill in an ink bottle. The window was open too and let in the warm fresh air from the outside. The sun cast a warm hue into the white room and the whole area glowed with such beautiful light. There were silk transparent curtains that whisked along with the breeze as well, and made the whole scene look heavenly.

Katarina strode over to where the desk was and watched as Ashe retrieved all the papers and aligned them neatly. One had slipped from the pile and Katarina picked it off the ground careful not to bend the paper. She received thanks and stood where she was and looked at all the things on the desk, one in particular being a curved dagger made from ancient Freljordian ice. It glowed a deep blue from the blade's inner core and pulsed with energy. The handle was made from stone and carved with the symmetrical designs of the tribes.

"Cool knife." she commented coolly. The Noxian turned tail and walked over to the bed to sit on it while the archer took the dagger and hid it in a drawer nervously. "Um, thanks." she spoke, shutting the window and rushed away from the desk to sit by the assassin. She took the box again and got comfortable before opening the top. She smiled at what was inside, but the flap was open so Katarina couldn't see what was in there. She stretched her neck to see before Ashe giggled and turned it around. "See now!"

A cake.

It wasn't perfect or anything special, but it was a simple cake coated in white frosting with a light blue squiggly border. A small folded note slipped out from the box and Katarina picked it up from the floor. It read,  _'To my favorite archer: your friend, Soraka.'_

Her fingers creased the note and she handed it to Ashe to read. It made her tear up a bit and she lowered her head and smiled to herself, wiping the tear away with her hand. It must have meant something big to her. Ashe's face was the happiest she's ever seen and it shone brightly like the sun's warm rays. It gave Katarina a comfortable feeling and seeing the queen happy was more than enough to take in. Her past, the world's troubles and even the pain from the slap on her face drowned out upon seeing the Freljordian's eyes sparkle. The assassin's complexion softened and her green eyes wandered from Ashe's beautiful orbs to the luscious smile on her chilled pink lips.

"What is it Ashe?" she asked gently to make sure she wouldn't break the moment.

"I'm just happy that she remembered...I thought she forgot since I haven't seen her all day." the note was pressed against her chest and Ashe's blue eyes fell upon Katarina's. It struck a cord in the other woman for a second and she responded reflecting on Ashe's words. "Is it your birthday?"

"Yes," she said sweetly.

Katarina scrunched up her eyebrows and threw her hands up in the air. "Where is everyone? Shouldn't there be a huge party or something for you? You _are_  the queen of the Freljord everyone should know!"

Ashe bit her lip. She half smiled at the thought before it vanished back into a sullen fantasy. "I am just a queen. No one acknowledges me unless I were to tell them. But even then, they would forget and not care."

"Do you think I don't care?" Katarina whispered. Ashe looked into her gaze and saw that there was something there. Recognition, thoughtfulness, gentleness. It filled Ashe to the brim with delight but the sadness of it all dragged her heart back into the abyss. She fought hard against it the more her eyes lingered in the assassin's.

"I don't know..." she admitted.

"Well. I for one do, and I'll say it now. Happy birthday!" Katarina said cheerfully. "How young are you?"

Ashe laughed. "How young? Don't you mean how old?"

The assassin shook her head and gave the other woman a grin. "I mean how young. You aren't old Ashe, not for a while."

"I suppose," she raised her hand to her mouth to giggle which was pretty cute. "I'm 23 today."

"You don't look 23. I'm 25. Talk about old." Katarina's eyes rolled. They both gave a good laugh and after they were finished Katarina spoke again seriously. "There's this thing going on tonight right outside the Institute that Sarah invited me to. She's probably throwing another party and it's right by the forest border. Would you like to go as your birthday present?"

Ashe ran her fingers through her white hair and replied a bit shyly with a blush on her face. She averted her eyes from the assassin to cut herself some slack from the embarrassment. "Yes…I would love to. Is everyone going?"

"By everyone you mean all the champions?"

Ashe nodded once.

"Yeah. Sarah invited everyone and there will be music and fireworks, all that good shit. It starts at 7 p.m."

"Ok, that would be good." she sighed staring at her toes.

Katarina picked up the sinking expression on the queen's face. There was something on her mind that was placing her in a bad mood. Maybe the lack of people knowing of this special day consumed her. A hand found its way to Ashe's shoulder and squeezed it lightly to gain the attention to the assassin.

"Don't worry about other people. Just have fun and make the most out of this day. There will be drinks!" she nudged the archer in the ribs which provoked her to smile and push the assassin away playfully.

"I'm not  _that_  big into drinking you know. Not like  _some_  people."

Katarina held a finger to her lips and silenced Ashe with a grin curling the corners of her mouth high. "Comes with the job."


	12. The Way of the Blade

"Ey, give me another!" shouted the assassin roughly. She lifted her hand up to signal the Bilgewater pirate hunter in the middle of running about. Sarah attended to everyone in the bar, well you could call it a bar but was really just a long plank of wood held up by two barrels of beer stacked on each side. She particularly glanced at Katarina who was finished with her shot and still sober. The other woman perked up when the Bounty Hunter caught sight of her and curved her mouth. 

 

"Not too much, you wouldn't want to get drunk at this event! The fireworks are coming soon, I just had them contracted by the League." she shouted. The commotion and music was loud enough that talking normally was just lip moving. Sarah had brought herself close to Katarina's ear and rested her elbows on the bar. 

 

"Where'd you even get them?" 

 

Sarah took a deep breath before forcing her voice to reach over her normal tone again. "They were left overs from the Lunar Revel a few months ago. Don't you remember?"

 

"Yeah. Didn't think they would keep them this long though. But it's whatever. Fill me up!" she said and pushed the small cup onto Sarah's chest. The other woman rolled her eyes and grinned then gave her another shot. The look when it was given back to the Noxian was the look that upset Katarina every time. It was the 'this is the last drink' look.

 

She took the cup and caused some of it to spill out due to the annoyance. She didn't complain though because most of the bar was soaked with beer and other drinks from the rowdy atmosphere of drunken champions. 

 

The Noxian overheard one of the champions coming near her but kept herself planted where she was. She pulled the drink up to her lips and sipped lightly and grudgingly eyed the men to her side. 

 

"Gragas my man, you never cease to impress me!"said Jax , arms stretched wide. The Grandmaster at Arms took the cheery fat man into a strong hug and patted his back. He greeted the others and was given a drink then began to talk with the others loud and chaff as always. Made Katarina sick of them already.

 

"Your new splash looks awesome!"

 

Gragas took the drink from his mouth and belched so loud it made Katarina flinch her shoulders. He laughed a bit drunkly and spoke, "Ah yeah, it's been a while since they did something better. At least I don't look that big in the picture, saves up for a real surprise in person!"

 

The group of men laughed hysterically. Looks like Sarah's been feeding them with beer all the time they've been there, she thought. She looked over to the Bounty Hunter who was leaning back against a tree nearby smiling. She was enjoying the whole show and crossed her arms at their stupidity. She must have been on break since her towel was slung on her shoulder. Katarina, hopped off from the stool to join her friend leaving the shot cup. She shook her head as she came closer.  

 

"Having fun?" said Katarina nudging the pirate hunter in the ribs. She shook off the gesture with a scoff and replied, "Of course I am! Look at them they're so drunk they can't even tell who's who!"

 

The Noxian loved this side of her. It was like her own in a way, with all the sarcasm and bluntness. It was true, they were indeed drunk off their asses and Sarah did a good job in getting them there. "What'd you give them?"

 

"Six pints of Bilgewater beer adding to the 5 shots of whiskey before hand." she said without taking her eyes off them. Katarina slowly nodded and raised her brows impressed. "Nice one. That should keep them occupied for the night." 

 

"Mhm. Once the fireworks get here they'll be scared shitless. You gotta stay for that!"

 

The assassin had other plans in mind than to stay watching a bunch of drunk men for three hours. "Yeah, about that. I invited Ashe here."

 

Sarah's eyes flashed like headlights. "What?!"

 

Didn't seem like she got the point."What did I just say?"

 

She waved her hands in front of her to erase the confusion away and reiterated. "I mean, you actually invited someone this time? It's not like you to be so courteous."

 

Katarina felt her face get hot fast. Sarah was right, she wasn't like this. But she couldn't have not done it because it was Ashe's birthday. Seeing the queen depressed and gloomy over the fact that no one cared about it was enough to make Katarina do  _something_ because of it. 

 

"I'm not being 'courteous'. She wasn't feeling all that great, so I told her she could come here to lighten her mood. That's all."

 

Sarah smirked. "That's still being courteous Kat."

 

Right again. The assassin groaned. "Whatever!"

 

She could hear the Bounty Hunter crack a few giggles while she stomped away. Anywhere far away was fine for her, as long as she didn't get to hear the Bilgewater woman prove her wrong.  _Maybe_  Katarina  _was_  being courteous or  _maybe_  Sarah had to shut up just because she was annoying as usual. Whatever the case was it left the assassin feeling a bit frustrated.

 

  
_'What a great way to start a party.'_ Katarina sighed to herself. At least it wasn't getting insta-drunk like other times. Still, it was not best to start a party with an argument or being upset. She looked around at the crowd and spotted two familiar faces. The mighty Pridestalker was together with Soraka and talking to a few summoners who had gotten their attention. Rengar's ears flicked rather nervously and he perked his head up and nudged Soraka to follow him. She left the summoners with a polite bow and walked quickly with the lion and disappeared into the multitudes of people.

 

Katarina followed where they left and kept herself distanced on the sidelines.  _Just where did they go?_ She questioned. They disappeared completely and their weird behavior led her mind to wander like her feet. After Rengar killed Ashe that one match a few months ago Katarina could not forgive him. He looked like he enjoyed watching her die under his own hand. She knew the feeling, how many men she had killed ruthlessly before. But no...she was different. She was an innocent woman with no such crime or revenge placed on her. Even the thought of her getting brutally murdered on the rift the assassin cringed and shook her head.

 

Going nowhere, the assassin sighed. The world slowly paused to a halt as she stopped and looked around with her hands in her pockets. Everyone at the party became blurred and the sound faded into a haunting deaf silence. There it was again, her mind wandering and the only word in her mind. Ashe.

 

She turned her head over to the left to try and find the Frost Archer but her eyes fell upon the curves of her small figure in front of her. The black of her Freljordian attire contrasted perfectly to the snowy white locks of her hair. It cascaded to her shoulders and her bangs could not veil the icy blue of her gaze directed towards the assassin.

 

Ashe pulled her lips into a subtle smile which Katarina mirrored. The archer always had the smile to make Katarina's mood lighter. Even looking back a second ago, she didn't even feel the hatred or annoyance anymore and solely focused on the queen in front of her.

 

"Hey, I was wondering where you were. It's a little crowded over there." Ashe said and pointed behind her with a thumb. The assassin agreed and placed a hand on her hip. 

 

"Yeah. Good thing you found me I was thinking about leaving."

 

Judging by the Noxian looking down to her feet she knew there was something bothering her. Even if it was just a minor thing, it would have to be addressed. Ashe found the other woman's eyes into her own with a touch to lift her chin up. It caused the assassin's cheeks to flush as well as her own but the archer smoothed out the quickening pace of her heart with a considering tone. "Ok, what's up?"

 

* * *

 

Ashe listened attentively to Katarina's words. She was 'troubled' and even flailed her hands several times in frustration. The archer walked alongside the assassin and looked ahead of her kicking a small stone away from the dusty path they walked on. It was already night time and they circled the whole area quite a few times. 

 

"I just can't deal with her sometimes!" Katarina growled. She toned it down with a look from the shorter woman, telling her to calm herself. "I think she does it just to annoy me when I have plenty more to deal with."

 

"It's Sarah fortune. She has that affect on everybody. But..." she trailed off and glanced at the assassin that gave her a dirty look. "She is right and you know that."

 

It was truth. As much as Katarina hated it, Sarah was right. The Noxian _was_  being courteous, but what was off about it was that she didn't know why. Usually for her she'd care less about others and their personal business, never even thinking about offering anything let alone her time. But the Frost Archer, powerful and respected as her label, was degraded so low to hardly anyone considering about her. Her status made Katarina think twice and her heart made the decision before her mind could even catch up.

 

"She could have said it differently." Katarina mumbled. This brought Ashe to chuckle and nudge the Noxian on the shoulder. Katarina's defenses didn't bother to sustain the light force pushing her over the edge of the path. She smiled at the archer's efforts but it was going to take a lot more than that to knock her off. 

 

"So why'd you get here late? I thought you would get here earlier?" 

 

Ashe's expression blanked like she had just seen a ghost. The cheery gleam in her blue eyes faded but she tried her best to keep them alive. Her arms hung close to her skinny body and a fine veil of white concealed her face. "I had a bit of trouble getting here is all."

 

Katarina circled around the archer and stopped right in front of her. Ashe was so caught up in herself that she almost went into the assassin. She took her shoulders and held them firmly. 

 

"Ashe, is it Tryndamere?" she spoke. She didn't want to seem harsh so she whispered it. It wasn't enough to keep her patience and it was growing thin. 

 

"I wish I could tell you Kat...but I can't. I'm sorry." She said looking deep into her eyes. Katarina was speechless; the words had all disappeared as the moment pressed on, only fragments were left behind. The queen tried so hard not to let her tears trickle down her powdery white cheeks. Her bottom lip quivered from the silence and her stare pleading for help. 

 

It was at that moment the Noxian realized that it  _was_  him. He was the cause of her silent pleas. It was a moment like no other. Katarina's fury burned inside of her but was being put out at the same time. It was difficult for her to understand what this was and the pull on her heartstrings was terrible enough. The assassin could not bear to see her like this anymore but she couldn't do anything. It irritated her and  _he_ of all things irritated her. She wanted to do something. 

 

"You don't have to tell me. But to make it up to you, I want you to follow me."

 

Ashe looked at her puzzled before agreeing and taking her word. She followed the assassin along the path, moving further and further away from the party and crowds of people. Ashe didn't even look back, but glanced only to the red haired woman she stood close by. She caught a whiff of the Noxian's scent of lilac and roses which melted her senses and sent warmth to spread throughout her body and face.

 

Katarina peered into the thick set of trees and followed the long trunks till their deeply rooted bases. A narrow opening into the forest that lay before them was indiscreetly hidden by a thin layer of brush. There were some champions that inhabited this area, such as Rengar himself in his den deep into the wood and a few of the others more closely tied to nature. The assassin softly smiled at the warm memory of this forest and the familiar scents and feelings it held. The only thing that concerned her now was remembering where it was that she once had been to.

 

They ventured into the forest that was only lit by the scattered light of the moon above. It glittered on their skin and clothing as they walked and the archer's hair glowed like freshly laden snow. It was endearing to see the Avarosan queen with such natural beauty. Her face was hardly touched by a brush of makeup and was flawlessly made like the rest of her. Katarina had glanced only once when she took the shorter woman's hand to balance her when they had to crossover a large fallen tree in their way. Without anyone to help, the assassin would have nimbly flipped over or jumped to get by the huge log. But she willingly took Ashe's hand and helped her down on the other side. 

 

She then looked at the archer that stood before her in a different light. She was just utterly beautiful the way she was, her fragility placed next to her noble heart. She was of royalty and it stood out with each stride she took. Her rounded shoulders were backed and her chin held appropriately to walk through golden doors to her throne. Then those eyes. The eyes that made her melt right into them. They looked straight at hers with such gentleness Katarina had never had anyone look at her like that before. It almost felt like it wasn't right for her to even glance but it was far too late to turn back now. 

 

"Kat? Are you ok?" she asked with a short smile and stopped. Her thin eyebrows curved and she bit her lip slightly. 

 

"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm, I'm perfectly fine. I'm just..well you..you um, uh..." 

 

The Sinister Blade never stuttered. Not like that. Never had she been a loss for words and particularly in a peaceful state of mind. She paused for a moment to think and grinned back nervously, placing her hands behind her head walking on and pretended like it was nothing.

 

Ashe scanned the assassin from head to toe and grabbed her jacket's end, knowing she displayed her usual mask. Her hands went to her hips with a glance from Katarina. "Are you sure?"

 

"Well, um,"  _Get a grip!_  She scolded herself in her head. "you look nice."

 

"I look nice?" she pressed. It was clear she was trying to mess around with her, and the archer was sure getting her good. Katarina's body flooded with heat and she didn't know what to do with her face. It just scrunched up in irritation and embarrassment.

 

Ashe begun to giggle and this only made Katarina redder and irritated. "Why are you laughing!?" she demanded.

 

"Because you look cute! And because your face looks like a prune." she said in between laughs.

 

"I am not cute. And I don't know what to do! I just, I'm not feeling like myself."

 

Ashe ended her feud with a few short intakes of breath and calmed herself. Her expression changed completely from playful to serious the next second and she carefully thought about what she was going to say next. "You are cute, and I'm not just saying it, you really are. Plus I can understand what you mean, I'm not feeling like myself either."

 

"Why is that?" Katarina asked. It was a simple question she said, not intended to be that bad. Ashe turned away and continued down the path without a sound. She left the Noxian standing there and the force of curiosity had her pulling Ashe's arm and spinning her to face herself directly. She did not cry this time, but the hollow emptiness that the archer had, dampened the other woman's hope in finding a reason.

 

"I just...I can't..." she sobbed dryly. There was agony in her throat, and strife in her once peaceful eyes. Katarina held the queen's arms while they were curling to her chest to make way for her hands to cover her face. She wasn't crying, but hell did she want to.

 

Ashe's hands were replaced by Katarina's chest and her hood was tugged back by the assassin's sleeves. Katarina's arm wrapped itself around her shoulders while her other arm did its best to cover the space on her back. She was new to the whole concept of 'hugging' but when she did it felt completely natural and their bodies fit together perfectly. 

 

Katarina's head rested on Ashe's, her hair as a given pillow for her cheek. They both stood there consumed within their own world and forgot that it even existed. Only the soothing sounds of the crickets and birds put their hearts at ease and the Noxian felt the Freljordian's beat synchronize with her own. But it started to accelerate when Ashe buried her face deeper into her, and nuzzled her way into better comfort. Katarina grew hot and just felt Ashe become comfortable with the position. Pushing back the awkwardness, Katarina felt peace and pursed her lips into a gentle smile and twiddled with a silk strand of her hair.

 

But like all time, it soon broke off. As much as they both wanted, Katarina wanted to keep going. She knew where they were now that her mind had been clear and held the other woman's arms after they separated. "Come on, it's right around the corner." 

 

Ashe felt Katarina's hand find itself down her arm to her hand and clasped it loosely. She tugged on and she was attentive to not trip over herself. "Where are we going?" she couldn't help but question. She dared herself to think that this would have been dangerous, but with the assassin's expression and enthusiasm she would have a harder time believing it was. She took her into several large bushes and took out one of her blades and chopped down the growing vines and vegetation surrounding them.

 

It narrowed down tightly to a one person passageway into where she knew it was the spot. She let Ashe lead and gave her direction to get out first. Once she pushed past the entrance, both their eyes gawked at the massive tree in front of them. The roots were thicker than themselves combined with twisted roots overlapping each other into the earth. The mushroom top was spread out into thousands of very thick branches and contained a sky full of leaves. The shadow of the tree covered the whole clearing as well as most of the sky. 

 

'Wow,' Ashe mouthed. Her chin was lifted high to notice the massive tree and made her a bit dizzy. She pulled her head back down and took her forehead rubbed to release the imbalance. She turned to the Noxian that held her hips and looked up to the crevices of the trunk.

 

"Hold on, we're going up there." Katarina said. Before Ashe could said anything, the Noxian took her by surprise and hoisted her up into her arms. It was only an instant, and she shunpo'd to the nearest branch and leapt nimbly to another and another before stopping on a huge branch. She set Ashe down gently and then made herself comfortable sitting with her legs spread around the branch. Her back rested on the trunk and her eyes were set on the Frost Archer looking at the grand view. 

 

The Institute was seen clearly from up here and all the lights from the party were small dots like fallen stars. The people were also so small but she could see from where the bar was and everyone having a good time. It was much better at night than during the day, she thought. The sounds of the night were blissful and the cool air was comforting.

 

Ashe turned to her and had her mouth open slightly from the awe of the view. "This is amazing Kat...Why did you bring me up here?"

 

Katarina turned her head and looked into the sky. "When I first came here to the League, Talon and I would stay here for hours when we had finished our schedules for the day. We would stay here to relax and talk about things. Then came a time when Talon found out some new information about my father in Noxus and left to investigate."

 

"Then what happened?"

 

"I stopped coming. It not the same when it's just you." she said. She didn't want to think of it. It was a time when she was still new and tehre were not as many Noxians as there are now. Most of the time she would have been alone to escape the people that cursed her. Katarina would fight them back but her place as the citizen people hated made her retaliate from the public.

 

"Ashe do you think..." Katarina paused to find the right word. Her voice didn't sound like her. Instead of bold and rough as it was always, now was a whisper. "do you think I'm a bad person because of where I come from?"

 

It didn't take her long to respond. Her gaze softened by Katarina's tone and she took the Noxian's hands into her own. "Well considering you are an assassin you're bad in that aspect of things." 

 

Katarina rolled her eyes. Of course she would say that.

 

"But in everything else you're not. You're one of the best people I've ever met."

 

She felt wetness roll down her cheeks. It didn't last long though since Ashe's thumb was there instantly to wipe the pain away. It was weakness but she couldn't even tell that she even had tears. The pain from the memory stung a bit but was instantly replaced with the sensation of Ashe's touch. It was electrifying and sent chills down her spine. Although Ashe's hand was cold to the touch from her Freljordian heritage, it quickly warmed up on her skin. Katarina felt her heart work again. 

 

"I'm not the best I'm just the opposite. How could you say that when you know _nothing?_ " she dared to say. Her voice was barely audible but was still picked up by the other woman's hearing. The queen brought the assassin's hands closer to her and locked eyes with her. They were close enough so that Katarina drowned in the deep blue of her orbs. In fact, they were close enough to feel each other's breath.

 

These past few months. Was everything you did a lie? Did you lie to me about your  _father_ , what you  _felt_ , what made you do  _things_?" 

 

Katarina shook her head. "No..."

 

"Then I know you. I know what you can be when you don't have a shield. It's what I love about you." Ashe spoke with her eyes becoming puffy. Katarina wanted to stop her tears but was tranced by the beauty of her face. As solemn as it was, she was the most beautiful. Maybe it was the moonlight that peeked from the leaves or just the mood getting to her but one thing was for sure, her eyes wandered down to the succulence of her words and where they came from. Ashe looked away but the Noxian caught her by the arms and held her back up once more. Now there was water on the edge of spilling out but were caught by Katarina's finger and taken away. She smiled only for a moment before clenching her teeth and closing her eyes. 

 

Katarina whispered her name once and another response was said. "It there is anyone who is the worst...it's me."

 

It came all to quickly. Confusion gave way when Ashe lunged forward in what was believed to be a hug. The Noxian only stared forward and lost focus on the Frost Archer who pressed her forehead to hers with a hand to sustain the back of the assassin's neck. "I'm sorry Kat..I'm sorry..."

 

Words tried to form but were coated in nothing but dried out chokes. Waves of pains arose from her chest and what felt like shards of glass tearing through her veins was excruciating. Katarina gripped the limbs of the tree and threw her head back. Tears stung her eyes and she clenched her jaw as tight as she could to deal with the burning sensation. It was all too sudden, she had no idea what was going on. Her vision became hazy but she could still manage to sense her surroundings. Ashe wasn't there anymore.

 

The pain came from her chest and her hand wavered over to the bare area. Her thoughts which spiraled out of control halted and faded to a dark truth. Her fingers touched a warmth that was recognized instantly. Katarina held her hand and saw the deep red of her own blood oozing from her fingertips. More began to flow down her navel and drip down  to the ground. Her heartbeat pounded in her ear while her hand found its way to the pommel of a cold iron and took hold of the grip. In all her strength she slid the blade out and identified the blade's deep icy core. It glimmered with magic and a thin film of her blood was smeared onto it. She let go of the dagger and it fell into the darkness. 

 

Katarina heaved her breaths and held the hole in her chest with her palm. The burning grew into a raging fire and her skin hardened. The pain was unbearable and her body did everything it could, even thrashing. Her sight disappeared and Katarina found herself weightless.

 

The Noxian felt herself hit something warm and felt a blanket cover her shuttering body. The voices surrounding faded to echoes before she finally blacked out.

  
  



	13. From Dust

Green eyes fluttered open to the incoming light from the window beside her. It took a moment to shake off the sleep from her reawakening body and blinked sever times. Katarina almost believed she was in her own bed but this one was much less comfortable and the sheets that covered her were far less thick and did not keep her warm enough.

The assassin struggled to keep her breathing at bay once her memories flooded back in. Her chest heaved and severe jabs lined the edges of her ribs internally. She wanted to scream but her voice was flat and only the hollow wind escaped her mouth. She could not move. Her hands gripped the edges of the bed while her mind kept on believing that she was still in danger. Her body only reacted along. 

 

A machine she was hooked up to beeped rapidly from its steady rhythm a moment before she awoke in shock. It was loud enough to have Soraka burst through the door and immediately come to her side and hold her down by the shoulders. Katarina jerked herself away from the touch and kicked her legs violently whilst removing the sheets from her. Such adrenaline and panic arose within her that Soraka had no other choice but to grab a tranquilizer needle and hold it in her hand. She pulled the woman into a tight embrace but the thrashing did not end. She injected the needle into her neck and pushed just enough solution to ease Katarina and slow down her heart. It was not ready to be in such emotion yet. 

 

Her eyes succumbed tears as her body went limp and was rested back down onto the pillow. Her arms were positioned to her sides and the blanked she kicked off was back on her even thought she hissed for it to be taken off. Soraka ignored her and tucked the blanket under her legs and went to a cabinet to find more upon realizing that the Noxian's skin was still cool to the touch.

 

After doing so and going about to the sink on the corner of the room with Katarina's eyes glaring at her, she came back with a paper cup of warm water. She sat down on a stool by the hospital bed and with a hand cupping the rim Soraka held the water to her patient's lips. 

 

"Here, this will calm you." she said and tilted the cup to allow it to flow. Katarina held her eyes on the water and sensed the steam from the heat to her nose and slit her mouth to drink. She ended up drinking it all and coughed.

 

Soraka was satisfied with Katarina's acceptance and went back to the sink silently to grab some more water. The Noxian took about three cups before shaking her head for no more. It took her a while to sort things in her head after the healer got comfortable in her seat.

 

"I know you must feel angry and upset. Anyone would be if they were in your situation. But it is best not to over-think because it is unhealthy for the mind and body to endure such work."

 

Katarina wanted her to shut up. She was not  _'over-thinking'_. It would mean she was over-analyzing everything and thinking up  _thousands_  of possible reasons as to why. No. Her mind was set. Ashe tried to kill her. There was nothing else that needed to be said.

 

"Why..." she croaked and held a tear. There was nothing else she could think of. It pained her to know, to uncover the mystery of her actions. Why else would someone try to kill the one they cared about? Did she really care...or was it all just another lie.

 

"Why did she try to kill me?"

 

Soraka looked down to her hooves and crossed her legs. Pursing her lips she said the one answer that held itself long enough in her mind. "She didn't have a choice."

 

The fire that boiled within the Noxian died along with the expression of hatred that etched her face. Katarina paused. This was certainly unexpected to hear. 

 

"What?" 

 

"If she wanted to kill you," Soraka said again. "she would have done it months before."

 

Katarina's thoughts spiraled out of control. Surely there had to be a logical explanation for this. She had to know. Her heart was not just aching physically. 

 

"Why?" the Noxian repeated again. 

 

"Because Tryndamere wanted you dead, Katarina. He wanted you eliminated and sent Ashe do accomplish his desire. He knows of you. He knows of Noxus's history and he believes you are trying to find ways to destroy his people again."

 

"That's a lie! I don't mean any harm to the Freljord!" she said, her tone becoming hard and brimming with anger. Of course that scoundrel would want to kill her. But why would he send his wife to kill her instead of him? It was cowardice in the eyes of her city and if he really was the man he claimed to be, Tryndamere would have confronted her himself.

 

Soraka grasped her arm and stroked it, calming her down again with soothing words. "I know you mean no harm, you've never shown any to begin with."

 

"How is it that I'm still alive...when I was planned to be killed by him?" she asked, drawing her eyes to the bandages wrapped on her chest. The burning still lingered but was ceased with the attention Soraka took to it.

 

"Well, Ashe never intended to kill. Harm, yes...she had to. He was there watching you two from a ways away. She had to make it seem believable of your planned murder." 

 

Soraka stood up and went to the sink and turned to the side of it. She took out a clothed item from a small fridge and brought it back to the bed. Sitting down as she unwrapped revealed the exact knife as Ashe had in her room, that she plunged into her heart.

 

The blade was freezing cold but only cool to the touch. The dagger's body glowed with ice and was still beautifully carved with intricate details along the grip and hilt. Such a beautiful weapon that could have been used in a ceremony or given as a gift passed down from ancestors would be used in such a manner Katarina was well acquainted with. She hesitated to take it into her hands but she felt a strange pull towards the dagger when her eyes stared deep into its deep icy core.

 

"Ashe was given this the day she got married by Anivia. It was said to be carved from the heart of the Freljord, deep within the ancient ice in the Howling Abyss. Its centuries old blade is said to have powers that would freeze flesh when it cut through. If it wasn't for this knife, the loss of blood would have killed you minutes after." Soraka said pointing to it with her chin.

 

"Instead of killing you, she froze the area around your heart. She purposefully missed it by only a few centimeters and managed to freeze the blood around it with the help of the ice. Katarina, Ashe saved your life."

 

It was all too much to take in. The fact that Tryndamere would have wanted her dead, had Ashe do it for him, and for her to defy his plan and save her very life was all too much. But while the information sunk into her head, her trust in the Frost Archer slowly increased again. To hear that she even protected her was something Katarina would have never suspected. A smile crept to her and she blushed slightly. 

 

Soraka noticed her reddening cheeks and delighted herself to know that her body was heating up once more. This was a good sign that the frost that coated the Noxian's chest was dissolving and she would soon be able to maneuver again. "Shortly after Ashe took action, she left and met us just as we were coming there to get you. I saw you fall from the tree a moment after and thankfully Rengar was able to catch you from hitting the ground."

 

"Why was he with you?" 

 

"Rengar aids me here often and is also a good friend of mine. Luckily for us, we got past the crowds of people fast and undetected with the help of his abilities. We came here as fast as we could to heal you back to health. He's not as bad as he seems."

 

Katarina puffed out some air. Of course since he's a brutal assassin like herself. "Where's Ashe?"

 

The healer leaned back and looked to the window where an empty couch was right under the sill. It was dented as if someone had been there recently. 

 

"She just left. Thankfully she did, never got any sleep while she was here. She watched over you while you were asleep and gee you really took some hours. Like three days straight. Ashe just stayed here and helped if you started breathing abnormally or needed to warm you up. Although poor girl. She seemed devastated throughout."

 

"Do you know why?" Katarina questioned again. 

 

"Unfortunately I do not. That is something you will have to talk with her about personally."

 

Katarina forced herself up with her abs and used every ounce of regained strength to remain upright. Soraka pushed her back down but she fought back with the healer. 

 

"Katarina, what are you doing?" she spoke a bit roughly.

 

"Going to see Ashe. I need to talk to her." 

 

The Starchild pushed her back down with a little less force and looked into her eyes. Katarina wanted to see the queen, she was desperate for more answers, but one look into Soraka's amber orbs told her that she was not ready to go. She was still injured and frozen which proved difficult to still move. The Noxian threw her head back and groaned which inflicted a sharp needle-like feeling to arise in her chest. it stung like a bitch, but it was punishment for being careless over her condition.

 

"Nonononononono, you can't leave. Not yet. Your chest hasn't thawed completely and you will have to stay here until your body heals itself. It's not safe for you to go about with a hole and ice in your chest."

 

Katarina waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. How long do I have to be here?"

 

"About two or three more days. I can heal you pretty fast but what i'm worried most about is the ice. It's different than regular ice made with water. This one melts longer and disappears. In all my years as a mortal, I've never come across anything like this."

 

"You came down from the sky to help Warwick I heard." she recalled from the previous rumors she had heard of the healer. Soraka nodded but turned away from her patient.

 

"I came to help him yes, but under difficult times I could not. This isn't a very easy subject for me, I'm sorry."

 

"Fine. How did you meet Ashe? I know you're a good friend of hers, I saw that you didn't forget her birthday."

 

The Starchild smiled a bit and responded much better to this topic than the one moments ago. Memories flooded her head and caused her to beam with joy. "Ah yes. I'm glad she enjoyed the cake. I prepared it especially for her with some advice from Morgana. She knows how to cook sweets way better than me." Soraka joked. Katarina acknowledged her and let her continue with attentive ears.

 

"I had met Ashe here years ago, before your entrance. We had unlikely circumstances; I recently had arrived at the League and had already became acquainted with everyone while she came from the Freljord. Before the League became well-known, there were fewer workers and lesser champions than today. I remembered I was in here, the infirmary attending to the equipment after a patient had left and Ashe came in. It was then I noticed something strange while she sat down on the bed you are in right now. I have never seen such wounds that covered a body such as hers'. At first I thought them to be self inflicted but I was soon corrected when she explained what had occurred." she said and paused for a moment before speaking again.

 

"I could tell she was lonely, and desperate to tell someone. I did my best to make her happy and accompany her which eventually led us to become close. I attended to her wounds while she'd talk to me for hours telling me about Tryndamere and how he would abuse her. There would be times where she would break down, or even doubt herself but I always tell her that things would get better. Not all bad things last forever."

 

Katarina agreed. Her thoughts led her back to the training she and Ashe did a few weeks prior. She did enjoy the Frost Archer's company and they did talk a lot. Sometimes Ashe would break down as well and Katarina could understand because she was the same with her and her father.

 

"I never met anyone as sweet as her," said Soraka, looking down. Their was grief in her voice and she fought against it with a long sigh. "She had shown me what it was like to be mortal, that of which I had never experienced and still haven't. I helped her fill that loneliness the best that I could and in return she had helped me understand more about the world around me."

 

It was then the healer stood up and went to the sink. She grabbed a cup and drank some water to alleviate the memories that had sprung up. 

 

"I think you did good." 

 

"What?"

 

"I think you did good. When Ashe opened that box she was so happy to see that you remembered her. It was obvious that she had no one else and you do a decent job at healing her well. Better than most."

 

Soraka bowed her head to the Noxian and responded with much hope. "Thank you Katarina. It is indeed a very special day for our friend.

 

  
_'Friend'_. The word echoed in Katarina's mind. It didn't seem fit for her to use that word. It was almost like a limitation of some sort, that the word itself was too vague to be used to describe themselves. The Noxian knew she was much more than just a friend. She had to be, friends had nothing special to them. She knew this because she felt something different. Sure she could say that her and Sarah were 'friends' but that only limited them in that aspect. Ashe and her, were far different.

 

"I helped her train a few weeks ago in the battle center just to the east of the Institute. We've practices for months and I taught her how to wield a blade and defend herself. You don't think that's because she was defending herself from Tryndamere do you?"

 

The healer nodded. "Yes, she told me of this. I have a feeling it was for that reason, I've seen her escape situations with certain methods you Noxians are known for."

 

Katarina looked forward and lost herself in her mind. Of course, she told herself, Ashe would want to learn to defend herself from him. Only those above would know what he did to her and hell, Katarina wouldn't ever want to know. Just thinking about her getting hurt by him made her angry and saddened. Overall it made her upset.

 

What if she never taught her? What if Ashe never learned? 

 

The Noxian rested her head and relaxed herself. at least she did know. She was content enough to have spent time with her and teach her everything her father had passed. Even now, a chill suppressed her heart to fear. Tryndamere would eventually find out that she was still alive and that Ashe had lied to him. She wouldn't be able to defend herself against someone who is ten times stronger and more difficult to block. 

 

Katarina needed to do something. She needed to see her. 

 

"How long is it again that I have to stay here?" she said looking for the healer who was looking at a clipboard stacked with papers. She had moved to the other side of the room now and leaned back on the counter.

 

Without looking up she responded distractedly, "Until the ice melts."

 

The Noxian rolled her eyes back and sighed. She prayed for it to be done quickly.


	14. Behind the Veil

She didn't recognize her surroundings anymore. She didn't even recognize herself. 

 

Tight she gripped the sides of her sink. Her head naked from the absence of her hood and the cool dead air kissed her skin. Silky white strands fell from their original location and hung like her head. Ashe shivered and coughed as her eyes closed again. Her lashes were drenched with her guilt and her thin body shuttered from the ache in her heart.

 

She had some time before she became a hollow stone. Tryndamere would come at any given time after the sun would set on the horizon. Even though the sun's warm light shone into the large bedroom it was blocked by the blinds that were purposefully down. Ashe would not look at the light because the light had been taken from her. It would remind her of the times that she would smile and prepare herself to go train. That she would see the assassin in full health. 

 

Ashe wiped her runny nose onto her trembling hand and didn't even bother to wipe it off. Her body hardly even wanted to respond. Her knees had been buckled and she only supported herself on the sink with a propped up arm. She didn't even know why she even was there. To look at herself? To remind herself that she hurt the only person that she truly cared about? Ashe weakly propped her head up and from the small sections of parted hair she saw her eyes. Bloodshot and watery. 

 

The contrast of her eyes only brought back the icy gleam of the dagger. It was stained with fresh warm blood that steamed off. Ashe shook her head and ripped herself from the mirror. 

 

Her sight became blurry again due to the amount of water that covered her iris. It was all too much and she tripped and crashed hard onto the steps that led to her bed. She laid in her position for far too long that her arm she covered her head with fell asleep. She didn't bother to wake it up and let out a heaved cry. Her pain lingered within her and gave her such a desperation to have it rid her. She moaned and cried, trying to alleviate it verbally. 

 

Two hands lifted her up from the ground and had her feet dangling beneath her. They were strong and cold, also recognizing the chilling voice that followed the action. "Ashe? Wake up! Do you hear me?!"

 

Her lips were chapped and sealed shut. She could not even try to speak for her words were gone. There was nothing she wanted to do or to say. 

 

Tryndamere shook her and her head moved along with the momentum. Seeing this he bore his teeth and growled throwing her onto the hard floor and watching her go limp. Ashe only slit her eyes open to see her husband's silhouette grow bigger and his face close to her's. His warm breath blew on her face and she heard his irritated voice smooth into a vile whisper. "Did you do what I had asked?"

 

Ashe did not answer and lowered her head once more. Tryndamere gripped the back of her head and peeled it back so that her eyes were now on his. "I won't ask any nicer than that."

 

"Yes, Tryndamere. I did."

 

He nodded once and let her lose to collide onto the floor again. She stared at him with disgust. 

 

Tryndamere waltzed over to his side of the bed and to his nightstand took a glass of wine from the flask on the side. He poured a good amount into the thin glass and took a seat right next to where Ashe lied on the floor, having to swallow the knot in her throat silently. 

 

"Good girl. I knew you had it in you." he said taking a sip. 

 

Killing the Noxian was the last thing she would do. She couldn't even dare to think she did such a thing. It tortured her for days and left her unable to sleep at night. Nightmares of her screaming and having her very own hands covered in blood made her sick to her stomach. Ashe covered her face with her hand, trying to erase the blackness of her thoughts but they tainted every corner.

 

"Just to make things clear," his voice rung out again, this time speaking low and hard. "not a word of this goes out to anyone. Do you hear me? We wouldn't want to cause any commotion here just yet."

 

She didn't even hear him. Ashe had snapped out of existence into an empty shell. She was dead inside and barely breathing. His tone was as rigid as the blade's edge. It cut through her heart and the chilling darkness of her mind swallowed her up completely. There was only gray in her eyes, nothing white or colorful. The light had fully faded and the room had darkened to only a sliver of illumination left.

 

Slap. 

 

Ashe turned her face and the sting from the impact affected her swollen eyes to contract a tear more. It hardly had any effect compared to what she did.

 

"Stop being so ignorant, Ashe." he threatened and landed a blow to her jaw. She did not even react anymore. This made him more furious. Another blow. 

 

His fury heaved Ashe to the wall and she crashed down along with two picture framed that came down with her. Each shattered into pieces of glass none of which had came in contact with her by a miracle but one corner of a frame dug into her back and inflicted a sharp pain through her spine.

 

Satisfied, Tryndamere went to the mirror and tidied himself up then left with loud slam just to scare Ashe. He always did it so it was normal. 

 

A few moments and the room went silent. It wasn't like those other times where she would sit on her bed and read the letters her hawk sent her, or sip a cup of hot tea in the evening. No this silence was deathly. She felt like she had been in there for an eternity and hell wrote on her body in cuts and bruises. 

 

It took her a great deal to get back on her feet. She made up her mind and couldn't stay on the floor all night. Gathering every ounce of strength she had, Ashe lifted herself up but fell back down after her arms gave up underneath her. She caught herself again and with arms trembling scooted her knee under her. Ashe leaned and propped herself up with the knee and took the other leg in position to stand. She clung onto the window sill and pulled up, allowing her legs to buckle and stay in place. She could feel her heart beat slowly on her face but she could not actually feel herself clenching her jaw. Either could she really feel much else other than throbbing and her pulse. 

 

She dragged herself weakly to her bed and fell upon it. She hardly did anything else but move to her side of the bed and curl herself over her sheets. A great wave of depression moved her and she lay there only staring at the wall. Her eyes were dried with the tears that she had let flow only an hour ago. Such a sin she made to harm the only one that could free her. 

 

The only one that she really loved.


	15. S

"I'm free to go?" 

 

"Yes, but you are to stay put away from any battles and remain calm. You don't want to alter your heart." said Soraka, handing back her weapons. The healer helped strap them to the assassin's back and gave her each throwing knife to stow on her belt and thighs. Katarina stretched herself before exiting the infirmary and pulled up her collar.

 

"Oh and Katarina," she said behind her. The Noxian stopped with her hand on the door and waited for a response. "try to stay hidden, and be careful."

 

With a bow she left and took a breath of fresh air from behind the double doors. Almost a whole week passed by. Three and a half days of her being asleep and all of yesterday stuck in a bed. Her joints cracked, muscles ached and she strained them to even take steps. Katarina twisted her body several times to hopefully release some tension and bent down then back. The halls were empty as she realized this soon after walking again. 

 

The Noxian held her stomach as it growled so loud it echoed from the walls. Luckily the hallway had no people or else that would have been embarrassing. The only thing she could do right now was grab something to eat then head over to the Freljord side. 

 

Just as she had thought, the dining hall was empty as well. It was the high afternoon; most of the champions were busy running about the rift or doing other communal things within their own faction's business. Katarina stalked past the large tables and sneaked behind the counters to find some packaged meals. She found two bags of snack food and a water bottle and took it from the drawer shutting it light so that it wouldn't make any noise. She clipped both bags with her fingers and carried the bottle in her other.

 

Katarina looked around for anyone and proceeded onward moving quickly. She didn't realize who was before her and bumped into with a lot of weight on their shoulders. 

 

"Hey watch it!" Katarina spat and brushed herself up off the floor. Her food was scattered but was being picked up and handed to by a familiar person. 

 

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." the man said. The Noxian rolled her eyes at him and spat, "Don't have somewhere else to be?"

 

Garen laughed. "I should say the same for you. Shouldn't you be in a match annihilating Demacians or something?"

 

"Easier done than said. I'm on a break."

 

Katarina snatched her bags and proceeded forward leaving the officer behind. She felt the ground shake just barely and from the corner of her eye saw him jogging up to pace. "Well I guess we're on the same page."

 

The Noxian stopped and glared into the man's eyes causing him to stop as well. It made him a bit uncomfortable and his cheeks flushed. "What do you want Garen?"

 

"I just wanted to know how you were doing is all. It's been a while since we've last seen each other off the fields."

 

"I don't have any such interest to talk to you, Demacian. I will kill you if you don't leave now." she threatened. He was wasting her time and she was not going to tolerate it. 

 

"I'm not talking to you as an officer or Demacian. This isn't about our enemy factions, Katarina." 

 

Garen's sincere eyes pierced through Katarina's hard exterior. Of course he was trying to talk to her as an ally, but a few battles he had saved her ass in wasn't going to justify that. Even thought she did owe him for those times long ago. He sat down on a bench near by and scooted a bit to allow her to sit down as well. She sat at the very corner and crossed both legs and arms and looked down to the floor.

 

"I'm fine."

 

Garen scoffed and cocked his head. "You don't look very fine. Is there something wrong?"

 

Katarina gave him an instant no. He didn't buy it. Then he asked again and turned her rigid. "Is it  _someone_?"

 

How was she supposed to answer that. Hell like she'd ever tell him what  _really_  happened. She didn't trust him even if it was the last thing she was ordered to do. She knew Garen, they've talked before. She knew he wasn't so easily fooled as well as creating simple small talk.

 

"Sort of."

 

"Do you like them?" he asked growing a bit quieter. She knew it pained him to ask but was a little shocked he would say such a thing. Garen looked into her and saw that she struggled. It was true. She did struggle because she didn't have an answer. 

 

"I...I don't know."

 

"You know, I've had a crush on a woman for the longest time. Every time i'd see her I would sharpen my sword extra sharp to fight with her in battle. Of course she'd win, I always let her." he said and side smiled to the Noxian. "But, as time went by I realized she wasn't into me. It was a hard reality but I overcame it and moved on. Sure we'd have our differences and all but I'll always accept her as no more than a distant friend."

 

There was a sense of doubt in his voice but he didn't falter. He instead kept his head up and glanced her way, his gaze softened. "But I think your case is different. What do you feel?"

 

Katarina searched for something. What did she feel? Recalling the archer into her mind she felt joy and peace but also a desire to be there and have the urge to defend. It was a mix of many different things she could not decipher but she did know what she felt as she thought. She felt like there was nothing in the world more important than keeping Ashe safe. 

 

"I have to protect her. I gave my word." Katarina said standing up. Garen followed her with his confused look and she gave a nod mouthing a thanks and headed on out leaving the man and his own mind.

 

Her feet sprinted. Katarina felt the light wind on her face and her hair flicker to and fro behind her. A smile spread wide across her face from cheek to cheek and gave her a bit more spring to keep on moving. The air cooled down to where she turned the corner and she slowed down to face the only door she had known better other than her own. The smile then vanished.

 

Darkness had taken over the hallway. An ambiance fit for the Shadow Isles occupied the once lighthearted area. Here, there was dread. It was the very thing deep within Katarina had worried over. Her mind focused solely on the door that led into the Freljordian queen's chambers and her feet slowly took each step of fear. What if something terrible had happened?

 

Her warm hands grasped the cold knob of the door and twisted it until she could push her way in. It was just as she would have suspected; it was cold and dark in the room, barely lit by the remaining light outside. Her eyes scanned the room and instantly saw the sharded glass mess on the floor then her mind had alerted her upon her eyes to the curled up figure on the bed.

 

The lighting was dim, however Katarina could distinguish the body that laid motionless on the bed. "Ashe!"

 

She ran towards the queen and felt her knees give under her as she reached the edge of the bed. Ashe was barely breathing and blue from the cold that wrapped her body. She shivered slightly and held her hands to her chest along with her knees closely curled in. 

 

"Ashe..." she whispered drawing attention to her beautiful face. It was swollen some, black and blue circling menacingly around her jaws and on her lip. The Noxian's hand grazed the edge of the archer's cheek and causing her shut eyes so flutter slightly open. 

 

Ashe's icy eyes were barely visible amongst the long lashes that lay in the way. They looked straight for a moment like she was just awakening and realizing who was next to her before lifting up and having them look at her face. They flickered with such little hope that the assassin wasn't sure if it would last. Katarina's hand then cupped Ashe's cheek and leaned in just a bit closer with several tears wallowing up her vision. 

 

Katarina took Ashe into her arms and coiled them around her body. She knew something terrible must have happened and the shutter of pain when she lifted the woman was evident. She was more than careful to allow Ashe to place her head on her shoulder and hold her up to carry. She could not be here anymore.

 

Katarina raced out of the room not even shutting the door behind her. The evening was approaching fast again and with caution she paced herself while holding Ashe. The rising fire boiled in her chest and held a knot to her throat. What she wanted was to kill that bastard. She wanted to make him truly suffer under her blades. Such hatred of Ashe's attacker erupted but upon seeing her face look weakly to her, Katarina found that it had ceased. She couldn't stay mad. No, it wasn't her place to be. Her main focus was to help Ashe and keep her safe, not welled up in her own anger.

 

They made it into the Sinister Blade's chambers fast and Katarina had set the fragile woman down in a comfortable chair by the fireplace and covered her with a few soft blankets. She hardly ever used the fireplace in her room unless it was a bitter winter that chilled the room to a freezer. It remained untouched for several years and Katarina began to worry about finding the matches. But in little time she did and quickly lit the fire into a blaze with all the old newspapers and wood that she stocked inside the small brick space. Katarina left the area for a brief moment to find a first aid kit she had in her bathroom.

 

She took the footstool that was in front of her bed and sat down after pulling it from between her legs. As the fire sizzled and cracked, Ashe sat there silently watching the Noxian prepare a warm towel soaked in water and twisted it damp. She dabbed the towel onto the bruise and circled her finger gently around the affected area. Ashe only held still while Katarina washed her face and then applied some ointment onto the affected areas. The ointment, a mix of herbs and magical substances subdued the swelling within a minute and reduced bits of the bruise to go back to its original state. Within a few minutes the large black markings on Ashe's face were no more than mere splotches of reddened skin.

 

Katarina smiled at Ashe's healing face. She looked much more alive and better than she was before. Her skin returned to its normal color and her cheeks a light shade of pink. She was genuinely glad that Ashe was better and by the way she watched her move her hands it caused her face to heat up. 

 

The Noxian lowered her head to catch Ashe's eyes and asked, "Is there anywhere else that hurts?"

 

Ashe nodded and touched the back of her shoulder. Katarina stared for a moment before realizing where she was directing her to. Her heart beat steadily in her chest and she breathed normally but couldn't stop the beat from accelerating. She swallowed and took apart the shoulder armor of the Freljordian queen and set it down beside her along with the cape that had covered her back. There, in the center was a large bruise that was just starting to form a dark shade of purple. After she had finished applying the cream she questioned the archer who had not spoken yet.

 

"How did this happen?" 

 

Ashe took a few moments to form words. She fought hard against herself but it wasn't even worth holding back. She just could not even believe that there was warmth around her and that Katarina Du Couteau was alive. "Kat...are you even _real?_ "

 

Katarina turned herself over to her frontal view where she had come face to face with the Frost Archer. She searched for a reason why she would have said such a thing.

 

Subconsciously Ashe had lifted her hand to touch the Noxian's face. Her hand was still cold but was warmed by Katarina binding her fingers with hers and curling them. She brought Ashe's fingers to her face and they wavered on her till Ashe pulled away. Her eyes shook and begun to flow with tears. "I'm sorry Kat...I'm sorry..." 

 

Katarina caught her by the arms and Ashe buried her face into her. Ashe couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to believe she was real, but she couldn't. The queen touched and felt the leather of her jacket and the soft warmth of her skin. She even heard the beat of the very heart she froze. Her crying ended shortly and had quieted down due to the Noxian's fingers passing dexterously through her hair, stroking it. It soothed her body from the burden it carried and her senses were overwhelmed by the fire's tender heat and Katarina's scent.

 

The Noxian played with a strand of white hair before tucking it away to the rest of the locks that flowed down Ashe's healing back.

 

"When I was younger my father had trained me to become the master assassin I am today. Whenever I was hurt, my mother would step in and would always be there for me. She'd kiss my wounds and would say to me that with every kiss they would heal.  Obviously I was a kid and I believed everything they said. But I still believe it's true."

 

Without hesitation, Katarina brought her lips to the paleness of Ashe's arm and brushed the surface, kissing the dappled skin lightly and proceeding to the next. Ashe quivered under the Noxian's feathery touch but soon calmed herself. With every touch her flesh tingled with the sensation of Katarina pressing her lips against her. She continued up her arm, to her back and then back to the other arm till her last touch on her fingers which were taken over by Katarina's hand wrapped around her own.

 

Katarina's green eyes locked deep within Ashe's stark blue ones. Not a hint of regret were laden in either one of theirs only an urge to move forward. The Noxian felt so deprived, she wanted more. She craved more and her eyes flickered down to the very last spot.

 

Ashe parted her mouth and her bottom lip quivered to where a small bruise was on the side of it. It was also healing, but was still visible in the wavering light. She only waited and closed her eyes, feeling the warm breath against her face and finally a closing of their space.

 

It was like she never imagined. Katarina's lips against hers was something she could not even try to describe, but felt so right. She felt everything that was needed to be said long ago and crashed down onto her. They moved with synchronized rhythm each not going fast but slow and melodious. Katarina wanted more and as they continued her hand slithered around Ashe's waist and pulled her closer to her. This made Ashe pull away slightly and breathe but come back in with twice as much force. 

 

Katarina then clutched the thin straps of linen on the Frost Archer's clothing, doing the thing her lips couldn't express. The Noxian's senses sharpened and the intense sensations of Ashe's lips had her press against her harder and had her heart pounding against her ribcage.

 

She felt drops of water drip on her face and opened her eyes to see Ashe crying. They departed and Katarina held onto her, letting her cling onto her jacket. 

 

"Kat...please help me.." she whispered edging into despair.

 

The Noxian parted and looked at her, not sure what she meant but was soon corrected when Ashe took her hand and placed it onto her chest. She dragged across and lowered so she could feel the tender and soft flesh underneath her clothing. Katarina pulled her hand away and shook her head negating from the archer's intentions.

 

"No Ashe. I can't do this. I can't do that to you." she said earnestly. Ashe's eyes drooped and she let a tear trickle down her face. She lifted her head again and connected her fingers together behind Katarina's head. 

 

"Please Kat...help me get rid of this pain. I can't deal with it anymore...it's killing me."

 

She continued to shake her head. How could she ask such a thing from her. She couldn't just take advantage of her in this situation. Ashe was weak. She was vulnerable and Katarina could not even try to bring herself to do it as much as her heart wanted to. Ashe saw that she struggled and pulled herself closer to her ear and breathed,

 

"Katarina...do you love me?"

 

_"I...I don't know."  
_

 

"I...I do." she heard herself say. The last word trailed off her tongue but was relieving to say.

 

"Then," Ashe touched her ear with her lips and whispered gently, " _show_  me how much you love me."

 

Their lips connected once more with such an ignition Katarina felt her skin burn. Ashe's hand moved to sustain the curve of her neck whilst her fingers tangled themselves in her luscious red hair. Such a passion they both were out of breath and gasping for breath. The Noxian's hands gripped the sides of her waist and undid the straps the wound around the queen's torso. She dropped the ribbons onto the floor while Ashe worked on removing her jacket and taking in the warmth of the newfound skin into her touch without breaking contact. 

 

Katarina lifted Ashe up while the queen held her face and bound her legs to her toned waist. She carried her till they both fell down onto the comfort of the mattress and continued to kiss further, extending their boundaries. The Noxian's hair fell to both sides of her face, creating an intimate veil to obscure their faces to their only view. She opened her green eyes to explore the beauty of Ashe's face and with her snowy white hair spread amongst the pillows and her eyes opening slightly to sparkle the very eyes that she had fell into was overwhelming. So much beauty had Katarina crash her lips into hers this time, harder than the first time. 

 

Ashe repeated the action and felt something intoxicating move itself into her mouth. They both fought vigorously and the sensations elicited a moan to erupt from the archer and made her hands claw the Noxian's back. Katarina pulled away and allowed herself to move to Ashe's neck and continued the light kisses to flow down, trailing saliva that glittered in the dim light. Electricity conducted itself across every part of her lips and body, doing the same on her finger tips. Katarina slowly slid off the piece of clothing that covered the archer's chest and saw that Ashe was truly the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

 

Her curves and lightly toned navel was enough to make her mouth connect to the crevasse of her chest and arch the queen's head back. She worked her way down vigorously not leaving any inch of her skin untouched.

 

Katarina found Ashe's hand and intertwined their fingers. She knew she had to continue and Ashe's eyes told her to continue. Katarina tightened her hand to show that she was there and Ashe responded back the same way.

 

She removed the queen's skirt and went back up, running her lips along her skin and to her mouth to kiss her once more. The departed only an inch away and panted, "Are you sure?"

 

Ashe wrapped her arms around Katarina's neck and pulled her body close to hers. She buried her head into her nape and Katarina moved her hand down to slip the last piece of clothing. Her hand moved lower and Ashe trembled under her. She did her best to keep her composure but lost it as Katarina explored deeper. She breathed hard and the thump of her chest was loud enough to be heard by the Noxian's own ears. Digging her nails into Katarina's back, she arched her back to her touch and let out a scream that echoed in the red head's mind. 

 

She sunk into the bed exhausted and brought Katarina to rest on top of her only supporting herself with her elbows. Ashe cupped the Noxian's face stroking the scar under the Noxian's eye and connected their lips again. Her corners pulled back into a smile which make Katarina do the same. They kissed several times before Ashe spoke softly, "I love you, Katarina..."

 

She let the words process in her mind. It was clear that she loved her. All the darkness of her mind had cleared the more she gazed into the blue orbs of the queen. They sparkled with such emotion Katarina felt it in her heart. Her eyes expressed the same parallel in her heart and fully understood the complexity of it.

 

"I love you, Ashe. More than anything."

 

Katarina's stomach growled so loud that the both of them laughed. 

 

"Well I guess you have something else to love now." Ashe joked. Katarina shook her head down and giggled, kissing her on the forehead. 

 

"Never. But I am pretty starved, I had nothing to eat since this morning." 

 

Ashe smirked and coursed her finger on Katarina's clavicle then went down the curve of her chest purring, "You know, I could be your dinner."

 

Her face heated up so much that she grinned nervously looking away. Ashe hugged her while letting out a laugh that was pretty cute. "Not at the moment." 

 

GROWL.

 

They both laughed again and Katarina edged off of the bed and took a good glance at Ashe before going to her fridge. There wasn't much except a few scraps from previous meals and stolen food. And then she realized it. 

 

"Ugh!" she groaned. 

 

Ashe lifted herself up the bed and covered herself with the sheets. Confusion was written all over her. "What's wrong?"

 

"Before I went to your room I was at the dining hall getting some food. I must have left it there after he talked to me." she said pacing left and right.

 

"Do you want to go and get it now?" Ashe suggested, not feeling very happy about it. It would mean that she would be alone again even if it was for a short time. 

 

Katarina stopped and turned her head to Ashe and smiled warmly. "I don't want to." Her stomach had something else to say.

 

"Your belly wants to." she giggled. Katarina patted her bare core and chuckled. "Yeah, it sure does."

 

"Go! You need to eat something! I'll be right here, don't worry." Ashe motioned. Katarina sighed and headed for the door after grabbing her jacket. She clicked the door open and proceeded out but stopped short at what she had kicked across the hallway. 

 

She picked up the bags of food she had left in the dining hall and attached was a small note with scribbled writing. It said,  _'You forgot these after you ran out. Good luck. Your ally - Garen.'_  


 

The Noxian looked around and pursed her lips. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all, despite being a Demacian. She turned around and shut the door again this time locking it and holding the key with a smile on her face. 

 

"Was someone there?" Ashe asked. Shaking her head, Katarina went over to the bed to sit by the Freljordian and opened a bag to munch on. 

 

"No, just an old friend left these for me. I still owe'm." she said eating a chip. Ashe hugged Katarina from behind and listened to her while she chewed. She was so hungry that the bag of chips was gone in a minute and she proceeded to open the second. Catching a glimpse at the queen's head on her shoulder, she lifted her arm and held it back to feed Ashe who took it into her mouth eagerly. 

 

"Did  _you_  eat?" Katarina asked giving her another bite. She turned her head just a little bit to take in another and swallowed. "No, I just didn't feel like it. But I never knew how hungry I really was till you mentioned it." 

 

"Here, have this you look more hungry than I do." Katarina laughed. She handed Ashe some food and she ate it quietly and talked more with her. They just talked about nothing that important, only joked and laughed, discussed about the league and friends. Most of it was only just to pass the time and spend lost moments together. A week apart made both of them suffer and some time to talk brought them back together again. When they were finishing up their small meals Ashe pushed Katarina down and attended to something that wasn't going to be forgotten. Katarina tensed, but soon let the tension go and laid beside Ashe all hot and bare skinned.

 

She still couldn't believe it. It happened too fast but lasted long enough to be so good. The Frost archer cuddled with her under the sheets while Katarina fiddled with a knife of hers. She let the archer rest for as long as she needed to and heard the slight breaths she took. Her hair draped on the pillow and flowed down in silky white strands. She was just absolutely gorgeous. She never thought she would feel like this ever. Such a highly trained assassin to murder people like her and then to change it completely and fall for someone like her. It kind of scared her a bit.

 

"What are you thinking about?" she heard Ashe mumble. She looked down and saw the archer blink a few times before adjusting herself closer to Katarina. The Noxian pulled an arm around her and took her hand with it and rested the knife on her stomach. "Ah, nothing really. I thought you were asleep."

 

"No I wasn't just resting is all. Hey Kat can I ask you a question?"

 

"Shoot." she said smiling. Ashe rested her head on Katarina's shoulder and asked while taking the knife into her own hand. She rubbed the blade's flat side that had the engraving etched into it. 

 

"What does the 'S' stand for?"

 

Katarina never really thought of that. When she was given them, she never really thought it would stand for anything really. It was mostly for decoration or something the league had in mind. She looked at it and just replied, "I don't know. No one ever said anything about it."

 

"Hrmm...I think it goes perfect with your name. These knives represent you." she said and gave her a small peck on her jaw. 

 

Katarina corrected her hair into a spiral and moved it to the other side of her. "What do you mean?"

 

She lifted the knife and with her finger ran it along the 'S' shape. "You're the Sinister Blade. It represents who you are. Sinister."

 

Ashe placed the knife on the nightstand and turned off the light making the room go black. It wasn't pitch dark in there because the moon was high and the blinds did a poor job with blocking it. She twisted herself around and with open arms Katarina held her as close as possible and pulled the sheets over her. Her skin was cool but warmer than what it was earlier that day and felt so smooth against her's. Everything that happened make the Noxian miss having her but now she was more close than ever.

 

"Or you know what, it could also mean that you're sweet!" she giggled and moved her arms around Katarina's waist. 

 

"You know lets just keep it at sinister." she responded and combed her fingers through Ashe's hair. The other woman smiled and let out a long breath and closed her eyes, preparing to sleep. "You'll always be sweet to me, Kat."

 

"Good night Ashe." she then whispered and planted a kiss on her head. Ashe returned it by nudging her face into the nape of her neck saying good night and they both fell asleep soundly.

 

 


	16. I Made a Promise

 

She knew where she was. A smile shone on her face as bright as the sun did amidst the smaller room. Ashe extended her arm to rummage across the sheets in search for the person she thought she was sleeping next to. The smile faded into an expression of worry as she fumbled the empty sheets. Ashe straightened herself upward but not too rushed by the cloud of sleep still laden over her body. She placed her hands to feel the warmth from under the covers which was still sealed and relief washed over her. Katarina left not too long ago. 

 

Ashe stretched herself and yawned then rolled over to Katarina's side of the bed. She hugged her pillow, taking in the delicious scents of the Noxian she had gotten to know last night. Just the thought of it made her cheeks burn crimson and her body tingle with excitement. She never thought that she would fall in love for a woman, much less an assassin. Her eyes darted around the cozy room in search of any signs of her lover but only found traces of her. 

 

Throughout the four walls that caved around the Freljordian, colors of burgundy paralleled to black painted the walls, midnight wood for furniture and lighter gray taking the scheme and merging it to create a comfortable environment Ashe had become acquainted with. Her ears sensed a light hum coming from side of the room where a small hallway connected with the closet and bathroom. This room was half the size of her's so the walking distance was not far from where the sound came from. As she gradually got closer, the hum was blended in with the faint sound of flowing water.

 

Ashe's mouth curved into a smile while she felt the steam leave from a crack in the door. She was definitely in here.

 

* * *

 

Katarina lifted her arms to wash under them with a soapy sponge.  _God..._ she thought,  _when was the last time I washed myself?_ Katarina scrunched her face and continued to scrub herself lower and lower till she raised her leg to get behind her thighs and calves. 

 

Her bathroom was larger than what most would think when they came into her room. It had nice black granite counter tops and off white tiled flooring and to the top was a darker red ceiling. When she came into the League, she chose this suite out of the other two that were then occupied by Talon and Cassiopeia. The design and feel of this space was unlike the other two, they weren't comfortable to her. In here she felt like she was back at home, her room was very similar in comparison and the colors exquisite.

 

The Noxian was so occupied within her own thoughts and actions she didn't hear the sliding glass door open behind her. She straightened her back and prepared to reach for the shampoo located in a metal basket hung under the shower-head. Katarina tensed herself. She turned around and felt her legs grow weak by the sight. Ashe had her hands behind her to close the glass door behind her and she smiled bashfully at the other woman. 

 

_She wasn't going to look. She wasn't going to look. She wasn't going....too...dammit she looked. But it was only a glance!! Nothing more!!_

 

Her face became a fiery red like her hair and she turned to the side to proceed with what she was doing. Or what she was going to do if she could remember. Katarina's skin tingled the closer Ashe came and eventually set her on fire when she was too close. Sure, she had gotten to know Ashe several hours ago and explored every inch of her but seeing her exposed right beside her was a little overwhelming.  

 

"W-what are you d-doing here?" she said covering her face with a hand. She used the other to stabilize herself with the wall and to cover her eyes from the woman beside her.

 

Ashe cocked her head slightly at Katarina's response. It was rather cute the way she blushed. "Well." she started, reaching up above both of their heads to reach the shampoo. "Figured I'd need a shower after last night. Also was thinking that you needed a hand. Could I wash your hair for you?"

 

"Ummm, sure?" the Noxian stammered. She turned around timidly and allowed Ashe to take her hair into her hands. She applied the shampoo and lathered her red hair till it was soapy white like her own hair. She saw the strain in Katarina's stance and moved her slippery hands under the Noxian's hair to the crook of her neck. She shuttered under her hands but stood still as Ashe massaged her tension away. "You don't have to be nervous, Kat. It's just me."

 

Turning her head to the side, she responded a bit shaky. "Yeah it's _you_. You're different from other people."

 

Ashe stopped and leaned into the Noxian, pressing her busty chest against her back. Katarina bit her tongue not to yelp at the feeling of the hands slithering around her waist. She rested her chin on the edge of her shoulder and replied, "How am _I_  different?"

 

"Well...you're  _you_. You're the woman I love. Of course I'd be a bit...edgy."

 

Ashe blushed, pressing her forehead on her lover's shoulder. She couldn't help to smile and the gentle words coming from her mouth and lightly kissed the skin her lips was closest to. 

 

"I mean it!" she said. Katarina turned around and pressed her mouth against Ashe's and smiled into the sweet kiss. The queen wrapped her arm around her waist and the red head did the same pulling their bodies together. Katarina took a moment to summon up the courage to do this and she smiled into the kisses for her accomplishment. It was very true, Ashe wasn't just someone. She was someone that she shared her most intimate feelings to, someone who knew who she was inside as well as out. Even sharing the most private of spaces was something the assassin wouldn't dare let anyone try.

 

Ashe leaned forward causing the two of them to collide with the wall. She deepened the kiss, their slow pace accelerating in unison to their heartbeats. Silence turned into slight moans and the water trickled down their faces adding more heat to their flushed faces. The mixed pleasure of warmth and intoxicating kissing dissipated when Katarina noticed a burning in her eyes. Her body reacted so suddenly she startled Ashe when she pulled away and glued her eyes to her hands. Screaming also did the trick. 

 

"Kat?! What's wrong? Kat?!" Ashe exclaimed over the quivering woman. She hunched and rubbed her eyes trying to avoid the rush of pain jabbing her sockets. 

 

"YOU GOT SOAP IN MY EYES!!" Katarina screeched. She whipped around to get directly under the water and let it flush out the remaining soap. Ashe burst out laughing but helped the Noxian wash out the shampoo from her hair and remove it from seeping down her face. 

 

Ashe contained her laughter in several short bursts. "I'm, I'm sorry!"

 

Katarina groaned. She was relieved of her pain but now her eyes were bloodshot. Ashe did her best to avoid the eye contact so she wouldn't laugh anymore but it was hard when they were confined in a small place. So instead she began to actually wash herself to pass the time. 

 

* * *

 

"Ah! Nice and fresh!" Ashe said plopping herself onto the bed. Katarina followed behind her whilst drying her stringy wet hair with another towel aside from the one that covered her body. The archer raised her hands above her head and stretched, releasing her built up excitement. None of them had matches scheduled for the next few hours and the day was just beginning to start for them. They woke rather late but were well rested. Katarina smiled when Ashe fanned her hand and patted the space next to her and sat right down a moment later.

 

"I can't believe I got soap in your eyes...I'm sorry Kat." she pouted. The Noxian sat up and shifted her hair to the other side of her head to look to Ashe but pursed her lips. She was joking and the way her eyes sparkled she thought it was pretty funny. It hurt like a bitch, but only for a minute and her eyes returned to normal once they exited.

 

"No you're not."

 

Ashe pulled herself up and leveled eyes with her. "Of course I am!"

 

Katarina slung the towel around her neck and took in some air. Ashe's face was ridden with amusement but she covered it the best she could with a straight face. "You're a terrible liar."

 

She looked down and slumped to the bed. Gosh, she looked so cute. Katarina bent over and gave her a peck on the nose which caused the other woman to giggle and squirm under her in embarrassment. "But I still love you anyway."

 

Ashe flickered her beautiful eyes from Katarina's down to her chest that was right above her own. They observed her, every inch of her skin like she was never to see her again. It put worry into Katarina's thoughts but she knew she was happy right? The queen's long lashes shielded the exposure of her blue orbs and shifted along with her hand. Her fingertips grazed the Noxian's scarred flesh and curved along the scar's lines. Tears welled slightly in her eyes but had not shown any signs of falling. Her lips parted slightly as if she were to say something but words could not come. Ridden with grief, Ashe clamped her eyes shut with the immediate response of Katarina's gentle embrace. She could tell it was hard for her and the guilt was eating at her still.

 

"Ashe...it's ok. I'm here." she spoke, pressing her cheek against her head. Ashe curled her arms into her and had her hands on her chest. She shuttered slightly by her hardened breaths. They were like that till Ashe felt calm again and after they were dressed, Ashe leaned into Katarina's shoulder on the bed and were both just laying there listening to a Pentakill song on the radio.

 

Ashe had closed her eyes and steadily breathed. Her head was turned slightly inward so Katarina rested her head on her crown. She smelled the lilac shampoo that she used earlier. The clothes that Ashe wore we not her's as well, only borrowed from her lover's wardrobe. A loose gray night blouse along with nothing to cover her silky smooth legs. Katarina wore similar, although with a bit of moderation she placed on a pair of shorts with a sporting black tank top.

 

Pressing her lips to Ashe's snowy head, she broke the peaceful silence between them. "Are you awake?"

 

She responded by nuzzling into her nape. "Mhm. I'm just thinking is all."

 

"What are you thinking about?" she pondered.

 

"Just everything that happened last week. I just can't get over the fact that _I_  did that...to  _you_..."

 

Katarina tightened her arm around the thin woman. She sounded so heartbroken, frail. Such things she didn't understand but the pain that lingered in those words were enough to give her a clue. What happened that night ate her alive. It never escaped her and haunted her at night. But here, she was safe. At least Katarina thought so. Actions like those were hard to escape because they  _were_  knives lodged into you. 

 

"It wasn't your fault. You were forced by him." she said thinking over about what Soraka said to her.

 

Ashe sat herself up and twisted her body to face her. The queen's face was hard to describe, but her eyes disbelieved. "No Kat.  _ **I**_  did it. **_I_** was the one to hurt you. It's...my fault."

 

Ashe felt strong gentle hands hold onto her shoulders and met eyes with Katarina. She made her feel peace within the forest in her look it was far greater than any she's ever seen. Such beauty in her Ashe almost forgot what she was struggling with. Her lips sparked the relief in her heart and her mind cleared.

 

"It wasn't your intentions. If they were it would have been a different story. You saved my life and that was the greatest thing anyone has ever done for me." Katarina said cupping Ashe's face. She smiled into her touch and blushed shyly.

 

"I really love you Kat..." Ashe said. There was no doubt she was not lying, every part of her was put into those words and such meaning made Katarina pause. All the times (which were few) that she heard those three words spoken she did not seem to care as much, whether it was her brother or sister or even her parents. She had never believed such words could have meaning and a heaviness like Ashe's words. They were true and deep in all the riches sentiments you could ever give to a person it just made the Noxian kiss her. She didn't know how to repay Ashe but a simple kiss was the least she could do to show how much she felt.

 

They broke apart much to Ashe's dismay but still lingered their breaths on each other's lips. Katarina set herself away from the archer's pink lips and faced the crisp iciness of her eyes. "Why don't you divorce him?" 

 

Ashe looked down but it was hard to keep herself from looking into Katarina's gaze. She wanted to ever since she married him but was forced to remain by his side by the law. 

 

"Because then Freljord can't be a city state without our union. I never loved him, I only married him to unite our tribes so that we could become champions. It was just political."

 

Katarina nodded, "But then, why does he treat you bad? You're the queen, Avarosa's ancestor. He can't lay a fucking finger on you."

 

As much as Ashe wanted to agree, she couldn't. She responded saddened, "I  _wish_  that was the case."

 

She then mumbled, "I was the one that chose him...if I knew what he became before I would have chosen someone else."

 

Katarina waved her hand and scrunched up her face. "Woah, woah, woah. Wait a minute. You  _chose_  him? And what do you mean by 'what he became before'?"

 

Ashe took a moment to gather her explanation then spoke. "I chose him out of all to become the king because I thought he could help bring peace to the two tribes. I thought I could help him but that was never an option. Tryndamere's entire tribe was annihilated by the Darkin and of course helped by Noxians. They destroyed everything and killed everything he loved. He was so filled with rage but I didn't know of this until I heard of what happened long ago."

 

"Noxians...Darkin...I don't recall there ever being a time when we went to the Freljord. I only went that one time to state a 'stand down' from Swain to you." 

 

Ashe blushed and said looking down, "I remember that. I never thought of it afterwards, but you were pretty hot when I saw you for the first time in person."

 

Katarina grinned feeling her cheeks grow warm. It was such a long time ago that she thought she would have forgotten. Just thinking about that one time, she had never met Ashe in person either. She looked so strong willed and valiant beside her so called 'husband', Katarina had remembered taking back a step after puffing her chest to speak with them. It wasn't her right place to barge in and disturb them but her fidelity towards Noxus and her reputation was at stake to submit to anyone. If she had never become her lover years after. 

 

"Thanks. So, what exactly happened to him?" said Katarina, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She rested back down onto the pillows that supported her back along with Ashe that followed with her arm across her waist. 

 

"I don't know. He lost his tribe but I don't know specifically what happened. I do however know what he wants. Revenge. It's all he ever talks about and he wanted me to be his pawn." she shrugged. Katarina pulled her a bit closer and stroked the back of her hand softly. 

 

"That's why he wanted me."

 

"He saw you as a threat. Tryndamere thought that you were ordered to spy on us and gather information to find ways to corrupt us. I know that's not the case but he just is so stubborn to listen."

 

"Has he ever let you speak for anything?" Katarina questioned. She didn't come out harsh but her tone sparked a nerve. "I know this isn't what we're really talking about but I've known people like him that do the same thing. They just are so caught up in themselves they never let you talk or even hear you out if they're wrong. Like me and Swain, for example."

 

Ashe shook her head which swished her snowy bangs along with the movement. "Never. I'm just a figure on the throne he wants. He'll never stop to achieve it. Tryndamere was once a good kindled soul but with the constant torture his past brought him, it made him become more enraged with the world. I know what he wants, he wants to have control to finally take on full force on Noxus. He wanted you dead because you're a subject of his past and he can't let his 'pawn' be tainted with it." 

 

Katarina knew her father wouldn't do such a thing as to slaughter innocent people. She was a grown woman now, this would have been ages ago. She knew of her father but then again what would she know? He was always questioned and secretive only Talon would have such knowledge of his doing. It dampened the assassin's mood to think such things about her beloved father but set it aside to focus on the moment.

 

"You're stronger than you think, Ashe. You are the one who chose him, not the other way around. You can take him."

 

The red head felt a dampness take form on her shirt which was suggesting Ashe was crying once more. The smaller woman took the time to wipe her eyes and respond back with the doubt Katarina hated to hear. "I only wish I could be strong but i'm not. Not like you...you are strong for everything."

 

"I'm not talking about physical strength. I'm talking about strength in the form of power. You...you have so much power, you're a fucking queen! People bow down to you, respect you to the fullest and you lead a great nation under your wing. Are you really going to let a man overpower you when you are the one that put him beside you in the first place?"

 

Ashe pushed herself up enough to kiss the rim of Katarina's jaw. She hugged her like a child holding dearly onto their teddybear, scared out of their minds. Ashe played it cool but she knew such fear would get to her.

 

"Tryndamere holds a great threat to me. Hurting you, he'll use that against me to bring me down. There isn't anything I can do but just hold my tongue and hope for death." she whispered. A knot was forming in Katarina's throat and bitter chills ran across her skin. Tryndamere had set her up.

 

Taking Ashe's face into her hand and pulling her close, Katarina said the only thing her mind had. The rest did not matter, not her father nor faction, much less her life. Nothing could break them and as long as she lived she wasn't going to let anything happen. That was a promise that Noxians would have set even if it meant their lives were at stake. Such a vow would have had purpose and was never meant to be thrown away loosely. "I made a promise to you Ashe, nothing in this world would break it unless I let it."

 

Katarina met lips with her and locked in an embrace shedding all secrets. A kiss for lovers some would say, others define it to be one of desperation. Katarina needed Ashe to be safe and had to tell her. Ashe's arms found their way to her neck and the assassin twisted her body to lay on top of her. Soft meaningful kisses accelerated into rushed hungry ones, the kind that would make it hard to break away. Tears dripped onto porcelain cheeks, making their lips pull apart but hold together by an inch of space. Ashe ran her fingers to Katarina's face and with her index, edged the tears away. "I love you Kat...whatever happens to me I'll always be with you."

 

"I...I won't..." she choked but crammed it all down. "I won't let anything happen to you."

 

* * *

It had been two hours since. Katarina was fully dressed now, having changed into her normal clothes. Her blades were still on her bed waiting to be strapped on and lodged into someone. 

 

She anxiously turned around every few seconds about by the charred fireplace. The candles had been burned out long ago placing the empty bedroom into a dark and chilled environment. A voice screamed within her mind saying something wasn't right. Something couldn't possibly be right, it had been two hours since Ashe had left for a match she was called for out of the blue. 

 

Katarina took a deep breath. It wasn't good of her to worry this much. She probably had other business to attend to. Scratch that. Ashe  **said**  she would come right back. She knew she wouldn't lie about something like that. Katarina's body oppressed itself to the bitter temperature gripping her bare skin. It was sure cold, but her worry prevented her from seeking warmth. 

 

No. She had to leave. She wasn't going to wait any longer. Katarina darted to her bed and slung her dual blades onto her back and inserted her knives onto the straps around her thighs and belt. Her mind was decided on who to go to now and the only one she'd have any answers from.

 

The Noxian opened her door only to almost collide with someone she had never wanted to see and especially at this time. "Riven?"

 

The former soldier breathed from her mouth and took a moment to catch her breath. She mush have ran here quite a distance. Katarina stood taller than her and looked down at her with irritation. She never would forget what this exiled Noxian had done and the cowardly actions she had taken after. But, There wasn't much she could do except to listen. She wouldn't have come here unless it was something dire. She was never welcome here.

 

"What do you want?" she barked.

 

"Rengar has news for you and he said you know where to find him." she said finally. Her reddish amber eyes looked around for anyone else before looking back to her. "He also said you should hurry. It sounded important."

 

Katarina closed the door and looked to the open hallway that Riven stood in the way of. She took a step back and let the assassin lance forward. Before she left, Katarina placed a hand on the former's shoulder-plate and said, "Thanks."

 

* * *

 

The Noxian raced through the Institute plaza and found the large red cross by the entrance. Panic filled her tight chest and a mixture of emotions wrapped around her head in a frenzy. Something was terribly wrong, she could feel it. She had already memorized which way to go and swiftly turned every corner until violently swinging the double doors to the healer's room. 

 

Her eyes shifted from the three people that looked to her. Sarah held her knees while she sat down on the bed to the side while Soraka paced and Rengar looked defeated. His head kept low and his eye wavered to the red head before him. Turning his head towards the Bounty Hunter, she spoke a bit anxious from the stares. 

 

Sarah looked at her with such worry Katarina yelled at her. "What is it!? What's going on??"

 

"I saw Ashe at the docks with Tryndamere. They're heading to Freljord."

 

Katarina's heart shattered.  _'It couldn't be. No...'_

* * *

**Shit's getting real now. You just reached the edge of the cliff. Watch out, you don't want to fall. Oh wait.**

**The songs I used for this was: How to Train your Dragon - Not so Fireproof, Black Beauty - Poor Ginger! and Frozen Score - Treason! I rely on music too much ;-;**

**Tell me what you think about this rollercoaster and stay tuned for the next installment!**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	17. Step To

"What?!" 

 

Sarah fumbled with her words but regained control of them. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop them. I couldn't do anything. They just left not too long ago."

 

Katarina threw her hands in the air with a loud groan. A pain seared in the back of her head warning her of the dangers she knew of. "Ugh! Why couldn't you stop them?!"

 

"Tryndamere knows something! He looked at me and trapped me in some sort of weird stare. Something's fucked up, I tell you." she raised, louder than her friend. Katarina hustled down and turned to Rengar who was supposed to have news for her. Fire ignited in her venomous green eyes and locked the Pridestalker into threatening patience.

 

"I found Riven and asked her to go find you. Sarah ran all over the place to do so, but you were nowhere to be seen."

 

Sarah added, "I went to the training rooms, the bar, everywhere. I came here to find them and I told what I saw." She looked about the three of them, gripping the sides of the bed. She bit her lip and sat still while Rengar continued.

 

"She said she knew where you might be and ran all the way to tell you."

 

Katarina backed and found her back to the wall. She shook her head, dreading the thought of Ashe getting beaten by that monster or worse...no....

 

"We have to go after her." she stated and looked to Soraka. The healer must have known what was coming for the Frost Archer as well by the looks of it. She turned around and grabbed a medicine box filled with asthetics and bandages and clicked the lock on the top. She gave instruction to the lion who acted swiftly and took all the right medicines and items that they might need and placed it into a bag. 

She then waltzed to a closet in the back and removed a few fur coats that hung on wired hangers.

 

"Here, take this with you." she said, placing them into Sarah's hands. The Bounty Hunter looked confused but accepted them and folded the clothing to hang on her forearm. 

 

Again the healer moved and took a quill and paper from her desk and began jotting down words. As she closed, Soraka blew on the drying inked paper and rolled it up into a scroll and handing it to the lion saying, "I'm afraid I can't come with you I have my duties to attend to here. Rengar will accompany you though. You must hurry you haven't got time to lose!"

 

"What's going on?" Sarah said looking to Katarina. The Noxian responded as she opened the doors and proceeded out in a hurry with the Pridestalker shoving the scroll in the bag.

 

"I'll explain on the way. I need a ship with men and food supply fast."

 

"I can get you one, I have a ship that just arrived from Bilgewater yesterday." she said catching up with their pace. The assassin nodded, her red hair fanning from the speed her legs were carrying her. The three took no time to pack their things and grab their weapons. Sarah flipped her guns and clipped them to her sides while the Pridestalker flipped back his clawed blades and sheathed his bloodstained curved dagger. 

 

* * *

 

Once they made it to the inlet a mile from the Institute, Katarina placed her hands on her hips to view the vast ship swaying side to side from the murky water below the wood boards. The ship was a lengthy 60 footer with four decks and masts that were in tip-top shape. The bow and stern were nailed down with iron slabs that made it look like a war ship.

 

One of the men that were on board with the trio yelled down at a few more that held ropes to pull down the thick canvas from the perpendicular wooden masts. It fell down and curtained the air till they were tied down and ready to use. Katarina felt a hand on her opposite shoulder and Sarah coming from her peripheral to her right. "Ah look at her. Such a beauty and in new conditions too. Reminds you of the old days doesn't it Kat?"

 

The Noxian shrugged her off and responded with a side smile. "Yeah it does. When we used to fight side by side all those pirates then drink off the pain at bars."

 

Sarah laughed. "Mhm! So tell me, what is going on? Why was Ashe going to the Freljord?"

 

The light spirit in Katarina's heart faded again to face the black pit boiling in her stomach. She looked down to look at the slight scar on her chest and sighed. She would have to know anyway if she was ever going to understand what was happening. In one breath she said, "Tryndamere used Ashe to kill me that night when you threw a party. Ashe saved me by freezing the area around my heart and he doesn't know that I'm still alive."

 

Her mouth hung open for a second before shutting. Her eyes widened with shock glanced down at Katarina's chest then back at her. It took her a moment more to say something and to settle the information in her head. 

 

"Oh my God."

 

"Yeah." said the Noxian, balancing on her heels. There sat an awkward silence among them which thankfully was interrupted by a sailor that took off his cap to greet them. "Capitan Fortune I would like to tell you that your ship is ready to sail and all the supply has been loaded. Your crew is all on board and waiting for your word."

 

Sarah waved her hand at the man snapping back to her senses and responded, "Thank you. Have the anchor lifted up and we'll leave now."

He bowed and darted back onto the ship alerting the other crew members. The chain was instantly cranked, ascending the heavy anchor dripping wet and capped with seaweed.  

 

"What's Tryndamere's deal?" she said hushed upon marching up side by side with Katarina. Rengar quietly followed the two and greeted the crew members while they set their foot on board the ship towards the Captain's quarters. 

 

Sarah head in first with Katarina shutting the wood door behind her. The Bounty Hunter trailed her fingers across the center table laden with a few papers and a map of Runeterra. She glanced at her friend from across the lightened room with her back to face the open windows. 

 

The assassin sighed and scratched her head not sure how to start. There was a lot to cover and she just didn't know where to start. "How do I put this..." she looked for words and started again. "Tryndamere wanted to kill me so that he can have Ashe taken out of power and have revenge on Noxus. Long ago Noxus did something terrible with the Darkin and let his tribe to be destroyed by us."

 

"You guys did something? Why?" she asked.

 

"I don't know! I never knew of this until I heard of it from her. Ashe said that his people were all killed by us a long time ago, probably when he was young or something."

 

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "But then why did he target you?"

 

"Well...I hung out with her too much he apparently thought I was a spy wanting information."

 

"Hm. I'll say, you've spent more time with her over these last few months than you ever did with me." she snorted. Katarina defended her position before any confusion ensued. 

 

"What I mean by this is he wanted me gone because I was a threat to him. When I invited her to the party you held a week ago, then she stabbed me there. She had no choice but to make it believable because he was watching us." 

 

"That's all kinds of fucked up." 

 

Katarina sighed and slumped down onto the table. She almost wanted to cry about how fucked up all of this really was. Her love was in the hands of a devil hundreds of miles away from her. Sarah looked to Katarina and pinched her eyebrows together and curved her mouth downward. "Kat are you actually crying?"

 

The assassin pushed herself off of the table and said a bit annoyed from her comment. "I'm human aren't I? Or do you think I'm a bot with no emotion?"

 

"No," she said with a glint in her eye which confused the assassin. She rested her elbow and arm on the table to hold her chin in her palm. Her expression of 'something's up' was the very thing that she hated of the Bounty Hunter but what she felt was evident. "but I do think that you have a thing to do with her. I've never seen you cry over something and especially someone so out with it."

 

Rolling her eyes, Katarina pushed herself off of the table and grazed her eyes over the map to where it was marked in a red circle: FRELJORD. Tears strung along the edge of her eyes and she wiped them off aggressively not even caring anymore that Sarah was there with her. She had guessed correctly and Katarina wasn't going to deny it.

 

"Yes, I do like her. In fact I love her."

 

Sarah shifted her weight onto her other leg and huffed. "Huh, and all this time I thought you were into that Demacian guy."

 

"Yeah well we're just bros. Off duty I mean, when we're not enemies." she cleared. 

 

Sarah hummed. "Hmm I see."

 

The door creaked open and one of the crew member's head poked through the opening. Both Katarina and Sarah turned their heads at the same time to view the man coming in and saluting to both of them. "Captain, we've just set sail and heading out to sea. Where are we going?"

 

Sarah stood upright and motioned the assassin to join her out the door. "We're heading north to the Freljord."

 

Katarina followed her out and climbed up the short ladder to the quarter deck. There a crew member attended to the wheel and stepped aside to allow Sarah to take charge. Rengar also was here, being quiet and crossed arms as usual. Another man held up a compass which the lion took from and held it open for Sarah to see. She turned wheel enough so that the ship tilted and shifted a few of its items on deck along with a few men caught unaware. 

 

"Hmmm I think I still know how to sail this, it's been a while." she said scratching her head. Katarina rolled her eyes and partially grinned. 

 

_'Oh Sarah...'_

 

* * *

 

Katarina looked out into the open sea and closed her eyes to smell the fresh saltiness of the water crashing onto the ship's sturdy boards. A light breeze coarse through her red hair causing it to flow steadily along with the wind. Out in the open ocean there was no light, only the candles burning within the lanterns around her. Sarah had already gone to sleep and had a crew member take charge of the wheel. Such a night brought her moistened eyes to glance at the sky teeming with thousands of stars and a half moon. The wind picked up suddenly and sent a shivering peck onto her cheek telling her they were near the Freljord. She was getting closer but Ashe was so far away.

 

Her senses reflexed her to pull out a knife which her arm was quickly parried by a thicker, leather bound arm. The assassin realized who it was after her trance was pulled out from revealing her visitor to be no other than him. 

 

"You are worried."

 

Katarina scowled at the Pridestalkers words flipping her hair to the other side to not look at him. _'Of course,'_ she thought,  _'he'd come out here to talk.'_  

 

"I'm not."

 

Rengar stroked his braided beard and laughed heartily, "These whiskers do more than just detect prey. Tell me Katarina, do you care for her?"

 

Wasn't it obvious? If she didn't care would she have left and spent hours to sail across rough waters to get to her? Spending most of her time thinking about her, wondering if she was ok and not in danger? Katarina needed Ashe to be safe, she just needed her too. 

 

"I do." she spoke soft and resound. The mighty lion rested on the edge of the rail alongside the assassin who sunk low into her crossed arms. She didn't like his company overall especially with him killing Ashe that one game ages ago. 

 

"Ashe knows what she does. She's always done things with purpose."

 

"I don't believe what she did was a wise choice." she said deflating herself. Rengar looked out into the night sky and responded with a chuckle to himself. 

 

"Ah now, that is only determined by the outcome of the situation. Every decision is a mistake unless it is guided by the right hand. Such direction takes time, but we assassins make up for patience. You can change it Katarina, you're a smart and strong woman. You know what to do."

 

Th Noxian looked to the big lion dressed in bulky armor and greeted him with a small smile. He responded by lifting himself up from the rail and returned the gesture. "Thank you, Rengar." 

 

"My pleasure. Rest well, we will be arrive by dawn and keep a coat on, it will be quite cold." he said bowing and walking towards the Captain's cabin. Katarina nodded and heard the door shut carefully. Her eyes lingered a bit longer at the door until the settles back into the familiar darkness of the night. She wasn't tired unlike the rest of the crew that lay sleeping under her and Sarah who slept peacefully in a hammock of a bed. There were two empty ones, another being occupied by the Pridestalker and soon her as well.

 

 Katarina shivered slightly as the temperature dropped a few degrees lower. She gripped her arms and leaned over the side of the boat hearing the rush of waves under her. She blew some air which was almost visible to her eye and would have been if it were five degrees less. The archer's cool touch still lingered on her lips and Katarina kissed the air to at least feel like she'd take in that warm and sweet sensation all over again.

 

"I'll protect you Ashe. I swore I would." she whispered to the darkness.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

"Wake up! Wake up Kat!"

 

The Noxian's eyes sluggishly opened and her body shook along with her bed. She stretched and the blanket fell from her back and her eyes clamped shut from the ghostly white light radiating from the windows above her. "Ashe..." she mumbled softly. Sarah frowned and crouched down beside the hammock and poked Katarina's leg. She didn't flinch like she normally would but sat up looking to her feet. 

 

"Here's some breakfast for you. Made it myself." she said sweetly. Her words faded the more she stared at Katarina's face. It was blank like her mind was somewhere far away. She moved her lips but nothing came out. Poor girl, Sarah thought.

 

"Hey." the Bounty Hunter said softly. Katarina flickered her eyes to her's and held them there without any form of emotion. Sarah pursed her lip and placed her hand on the Noxian's knee and rubbed it. "We'll get her back don't worry. She'd be more than grateful that you came all this way for her."

 

Sarah left the food in her hands and placed the fur coat that Soraka had given them on the side of the hammock and waited for Katarina to be done. She left the crew members in charge along with Rengar to watch them. She didn't want to leave her friend alone especially when she woke up thinking she was someone else she missed greatly. Sarah too missed someone and she would not leave Katarina in the same place as she once was.

 

The Noxian held the food in her mouth and felt the texture with her tongue but found it tasteless. All she could think of was Ashe, and constantly plagued herself if she was ok. She knew the queen wasn't with him around her. Who knew what he had done to her, it pained her so much that she couldn't even swallow her final bites.

 

"I'll be outside in a few." she spoke, her tone flat. Sarah nodded and walked out glancing behind her before closing the door. The second she did Katarina bent forward and held her face in her palms. It was hard to let it out when Ashe wasn't there. She tried to reminisce the comfort of her voice and the subtle grip of her arms. The Noxian took a deep breath and when she let go, she let go of everything. The tears welled up in her eyes but remained there till she blinked. Katarina's breathing shook her and a knot formed in her throat. How hard was it to endure without her, she thought. 

 

She let go of several more sobs before she got up and stretched herself. She went to the sink and turned the faucet on and out poured cold water onto her hands. Katarina patted her face and rubbed her eyes and blindly found a towel to clean her face. The Noxian paused to look at herself and stared into her own eyes. The scar on her left eye was no doubt invisible. It was a darkened red mark permanently etched on her face. 

 

_Never let passion interfere with duty._

 

This wasn't duty. It was not to herself or to her home. She wanted to do this because she wanted Ashe. Katarina wanted her to be safe and she loved her enough to have gone after her. The Noxian knew this would mean there would be hard times ahead of her but it was worth coming all this way. Even looking at herself she thought that the scar would have left her but it never did. Each time she'd look at herself she would see a different person whether she was happy that one day or furious. Seeing herself face to face never fazed her but upon gazing at her features for only one moment she saw what had become of her. She was in love; a person that fought for the one she fell for and determined to no end. It had changed her for the better and Katarina's green eyes flickered with a light she once thought was gone forever. 

 

Hope.

 

\---

 

Katarina placed the jacket on and shivered. It was deathly cold outside and her breath escaped her in a puff of vapor. Never had the Noxian experienced such cold as this and she honestly didn't know what to do. She covered herself the best that she could and just by standing outside she could hardly walk forward without stopping to try and warm herself up with the remaining heat from her core. Insensibly, her fingers found their way onto the edge of the ladder at the base of the door and heaved herself up to where Sarah and Rengar were, shoving her hands into her pockets. 

 

Sarah's nose was slightly red and her cheeks were flushed and pale. Her aqua eyes narrowed upon finding the thin slab of land two or so miles away. "We're here." 

 

Rengar looked on with a telescope and his mouth curved downward. He then gave it to Sarah saying, "There's little ships, we can be detected and spotted easily." 

 

Sarah nodded, looking ahead and planning something in her mind. "We need to re-route and find another way." Her head turned to the highrises of rocks slightly east from the harbor. She turned the ship so that it sailed away from where all the other ships were located and headed towards the mountainous and forested parts of the Freljord. "We would need to head towards the mountains if we want to be undetected. With the altitude we can also get a get a good view."

 

"Sounds like a good idea, but how are we going to travel up there with all the food and supplies we need? Wouldn't they catch us when they see our smokestack?" Katarina questioned. Sarah looked down at her hands and pursed her chilled pink lips together in a fine line. 

 

"If they find us, we'll dispatch them. Simple as that." Rengar concluded.  _Wasn't that bad of an idea, they were assassins after all._  


 

The Noxian shrugged. After the three agreed, Sarah carried on her normal business with Rengar and Katarina sat cross-legged in the corner of the ship striking her blades with a stone. She handled her precious weapons with care and brought up the sharpened steel a few times before she sheathed them onto her back. Proceeding them to her throwing knives, her hand veered to her thighs and removed one knife in particular that was polished and shined silver.

 

Ashe's knife she mumbled and stroked the blade's flat edge with her thumb. The knife she threw that one night that changed everything. It was the night that they (informally met) and changed the course of things to this very moment. It was a thing she gave to Ashe to let her know that she was with her and that wherever the queen was, Katarina would be there. She must have took it when she was in her room and forgot it was strapped onto her. 

 

Katarina gripped the knife and placed it back where the took it out from and lifted herself from the spot. She wrapped the coat tighter around her and pulled the collar up so that it covered her ears halfway. Sarah commanded the crew members to let go of a knotted rope holding a thick plank of wood in the center. They lowered her then Katarina, and then Rengar onto a lifeboat and rowed to the rocky shore.

 

Upon landing the trio packed up and headed up the steep slopes without the crew. The steep trails weren't such a big issue since all three of them were trained to run and go long distances. 

 

Sarah held onto Rengar's back armor and he carried her swiftly up the jagged rocks along with Katarina. The assassin shunpo'd to each rock and used her blades to wedge into the cracks to heave her up quicker. 

 

"Ok." Sarah began, holding up the telescope to her eye and standing on the edge of a large rock. Katarina watched her as she climbed up not as gracefully as she would have done. "The port's heavily guarded along with the castle gates. Looks like they knew we were coming."

 

"Or there's some sort of event taking place." Rengar added. Sarah nodded and took out a leather journal and pencil. She drew out the whole area and as she looked into the telescope, her hand blindly drew the layout of the castle and piers. She scribbled small notes on the edges and lined the drawing with arrows and X's. 

 

"We might be able to sneak in from the back or camouflage with the crowd but I doubt we can get past those guards without fooling them."

 

Katarina smirked and pointed with her thumb to the Pridestalker beside her. "Or we can have you dress as Sejuani and have him as Bristle."

 

Rengar growled and Sarah covered her mouth in response to Katarina's 'brilliant' idea. She couldn't help but to laugh as the lion grew into a sour mood. "Come on Kat, be reasonable." she said glancing to Rengar. Poor guy was embarrassed but hid it well in a pit of anger and frustration. 

 

"How about we just go in, kill them and get Ashe and leave?" she stated having crossed her arms.

 

Sarah shook her head. "We can't just go in there and infiltrate! We have to sneak in there and get her out but not like that. It will take time-"

 

"No! We can't afford to waste it like that. It has to be done as soon as possible or else something terrible might happen and we'll never know what. We need to get in there fast and not waste time by being slow." the Noxian raised. She stood up in front of the two and held her feet one in front of the other, clenching her hands and jaw. Sarah frowned upon her words and Katarina shrunk back a step before looking away. 

 

"The only way in that we could do would be aerial. But we can't do that and Rengar doesn't have enough time in his ult to stealth." 

 

Katarina sat down onto the hard, cold ground and lifted her elbows to rest upon her knees. She stared into the gap between her opened legs and she thought vigorously. They didn't have aerial support nor a way to infiltrate without being detected, but the assassin was still headstrong about going in and attacking on spot. It was what she did and she did a good job with it too. She did have to concider that they were extremely outnumbered and if caught wouldn't ever find a way out.

 

She sighed and felt her heart weigh down. She couldn't stop not even for a moment. There had to be a way.

 

"Give me that." the Noxian ordered and was handed the telescope. She dragged herself to where the other two were and looked towards the gates of the castle then to the top where the guards were. She then scoped out the back entrances and the watch tower that was higher than the rest of the building.

 

"We would need to dispatch that tower and take over from there." she said without taking her eyes off of the man with a tribal stoned spear. 

 

"And how the hell are we going to do that?" asked Sarah. By the tone of her voice she sounded pretty confused. 

 

  
_"Maybe I can help you."_  A voice as calm as the light chilled breeze spoke words into Katarina's mouth and the three laid eyes upon the icy feathers and curve of her beak. 

 

"Anivia?"

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This story is also accessible in Fanfiction.com and Wattpad.com under the same name. Characters don't belong to me. Talk to Riot Games about it.


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